Physical assaults don’t just cause visible injuries - they often have a hidden psychological impact. In policing, however, this emotional toll is sometimes underestimated or dismissed as simply 'part of the job.'
Research shows that when we acknowledge the distress caused by a physical assault, we can significantly reduce the long‑term effects on mental health. The type of support offered, the language used, and how quickly support is provided, all play a crucial role in recovery. Often, the most effective early conversations happen with colleagues who truly understand what it feels like. That’s where peer support becomes essential.
Operation Hampshire recognises the harm caused by assaults and hate abuse on members of the public and ensures we extend that same level of care to our own police officers and staff. By recognising and responding early to the impact of assault, hate abuse and repeated exposure, we can intervene sooner and provide the right support before problems escalate.
Operation Hampshire / peer support champions training
Peer support for wellbeing and Operation Hampshire are both core National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS) workstreams. By bringing them together, we’ve created a training programme that enhances peer support provision and strengthens frontline delivery of Operation Hampshire.
An Op Hampshire Peer Support Champions network could be the key to developing the wider offer and uptake of peer support and raise awareness of other services available to colleagues.
Training aims and benefits
This course is designed to:
- Build a local network of Op Hampshire‑focused peer support champions
- Provide targeted peer support following assaults and hate abuse
- Improve the quality and consistency of initial Op Hampshire responses
- Identify workforce wellbeing issues to inform local improvement
Course summary
Training is delivered over a full day in two phases, led by NPWS Peer Support and Operation Hampshire experts. Where local Peer Support networks already exist, the Operation Hampshire component can be delivered as a standalone session.
By the end of the course, delegates will be able to:
- Use active listening skills to identify concerns and offer appropriate support
- Signpost colleagues to specialist services when needed
- Share lived experiences to guide and support others
- Understand the strategic purpose of Operation Hampshire and its focus on victims
- Recognise the often unseen emotional impact assaults and hate abuse can have on colleagues
Peer Support creates a safe space where people with shared experiences can help each other - every insight and experience is valued equally.
Want to learn more or book training
We’re happy to provide more information or help you arrange a training session, please get in touch.
Further reading
Case study
From South Yorkshire Police
In South Yorkshire Police, we launched our Op Hampshire peer support champions back in March 2025 - and it all started with some great conversations with Dave Brewster and Lee Taylor from the National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS). We were exploring how peer support and Op Hampshire could work hand‑in‑hand, and before we knew it, the NPWS team had designed and delivered a fantastic training session for around 30 officers who volunteered to take part in the pilot.
What really struck us on the day was how many of our volunteers were motivated by their own lived experience of being victims of assault or hate abuse. That honesty and insight helped shape what we wanted our internal support offer to look like, not just in theory, but in a way that genuinely met people’s needs.
Because this was a national pilot, we aimed high: we wanted to reach out to every single victim of assault and hate abuse. Very quickly, we learned how big a task that really was! Thankfully, our brilliant volunteers stepped up and even created an allocation tracker in Office 365, which became a game‑changer for managing the work.
As the months went on, we kept reviewing and improving our approach. We realised we needed to triage our contact, so we made sure we prioritised victims of more serious assaults, spitting incidents and hate abuse. Everyone else still received an email offering support if they wanted it - all they had to do was reply.
Throughout 2025, our big focus locally has been properly embedding our 9‑point Operation Hampshire plan. Bringing in Peer Support Champions has made a massive difference for us as a force. It’s not only valued by victims, the ripple effect has also helped those investigating the offences and encouraged line managers to think more carefully about welfare.
Since starting the scheme, we’ve reached out to more than 700 victims internally. We’ve already seen some cases where that follow‑up call has uncovered gaps in welfare support, giving us the chance to put things right. And the feedback we hear most often? People really appreciate the call. It’s a simple gesture, but it means a lot.
We’re still building on all of this, and with continued investment in CPD, we’re strengthening our wellbeing support even further with help from the Police Federation, Staff Associations and our Police Chaplains. It’s been a real team effort, and the difference it’s making is clear.