The event was conducted by Alina Horodnichenko, psychologist of the Psychological Support Unit of DSUIA, for cadets of the Faculty of Training Specialists for Criminal Police Units of the National Police of Ukraine.
The training covered three key blocks aimed at team building and developing constructive thinking in conflict situations, strengthening interpersonal trust, and collective responsibility among future law enforcement officers. The participants performed a series of practical exercises: the interactive team game “Bridge of Interaction,” the role-playing exercise “Patrol Dilemma,” and the group brainstorming session “Solutions Without Escalation.”
According to Alina Horodnichenko, the innovative approach lay in combining psychological tools, case methods, and elements of art reflection, which facilitated the active involvement of each cadet and the transfer of knowledge into practice. The meeting concluded with a reflective session during which participants analyzed their own behavior.
“We looked at usual misunderstandings in the team from a new perspective and learned not to avoid conflicts but to use them for team development. This training was about real service challenges, not just theory,” shared the cadets..
Psychological support for future police officers is an integral element of the educational process at DSUIA. The formation of psychological self-regulation skills, a culture of teamwork, and understanding conflict as a resource are important contributions to the strength and reliability of the law enforcement system, believes Serhii Vyshnevskyi, Head of the Psychological Support Unit of DSUIA.
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