Background

The Review of Policing conducted in the wake of the first paramilitary ceasefire in 1994 identified that, in a sustained period of social and political stability, the Service in Northern Ireland would have to be significantly restructured necessitating fewer officers in the future.
In anticipation of this downsizing, some concerned members and influential civilians established a working group to lobby the government for funding to develop a programme of rehabilitation and retraining to support those officers who were to become affected by changes, and for those who had been injured and intimidated during the conflict.

Interim monies from European funds were secured to commission a survey of 3500 police officers to identify what support they felt would be needed to assist them achieve and sustain their chosen work/life balance after policing. This empirical evidence indicated that there was a pressing need to provide:

• Careers and Personal Development Guidance
• Training and Education
• Physiotherapy
• Psychological Therapies

The working group subsequently secured funding from the Northern Ireland Office to formally establish PRRT as a private company charged with the responsibility of rolling out this programme of support officers needed. Since the Trust became operational in 1999, it has been independent of the police chain of command and all police bodies; each client is guaranteed complete confidentiality when attending the Trust.

Who are PRRT’s Clients?

Trust clients are all motivated individuals who have recognised the need to make timely plans to ensure that they realise their full potential after their policing career. As eligibility varies slightly between departments, please review the departmental webpage of the service relevant to you by clicking on the service icon to the left of the screen.

The following groups will be supported in some or all of the Trust’s departments:

• Full Time Reserve Officers
• Regular Officers planning to leave the Service within 10 years
• Retired Officers – medically or otherwise
• Officers awaiting medical discharge
• Families of retired and retiring officers
• Officers who have retired through the Voluntary Severance Scheme, and who have been referred by the outplacement provider to PRRT for appropriate training and education courses.

How are Services Accessed?

When serving or retired officers contact us, a Rehabilitation administrator will establish the caller’s eligibility for the support required. Eligible clients can usually be accommodated with an appointment within 4-6 weeks.

To date more than 5,000 clients have availed of the Trust’s extensive experience in supporting the police family with bespoke services to meet their particular requirements. Careers guidance and in-house training services are delivered at our state of the art facilities in Holywood, although increasingly these services and healthcare provision are also available in other regions of Northern Ireland.