29 April 2026  University Centre of the Guardia Civil (CUGC) Aranjuez (Madrid, Spain) 

About the SFPR

History (SFPR 2024, SFPR 2025)

I SFPR Forum 2024 – Mental Health and Resilience: Understanding Suicide in Security Forces and Bodies 

Directorate-General of the Guardia Civil, Madrid – 2 December 2024 

SFPR 2024 was organised by the University Centre of the Guardia Civil (CUGC), the Guardia Civil Psychology Service, and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). The day, focused on understanding suicide in security forces and bodies, brought together national and international experts in psychology, mental health, and organisational wellbeing, with the aim of analysing risk factors, protective mechanisms, and preventive intervention strategies in police and military contexts. 

The day featured an international round table in which participated Prof. Pooja Saini (Liverpool John Moores University, Professor of Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention), Dr. Carol Cox (Director of the Liverpool Centre for Advanced Policing Studies, LJMU), and Andy Rhodes OBE QPM (Director of the National Police Wellbeing Service of England and Wales – Oscar Kilo). On the Spanish side, recognised specialists in the field intervened, including Major Gemma de la Cruz and Major Benito Florido (Guardia Civil), as well as psychologist Javier Muñoz (National Police), who presented experiences and protocols of action in police suicide prevention in Spain. 

The event brought together more than 100 in-person attendees and more than 200 online participants, mostly members of psychology services and command staff of various Spanish police and military forces. The day was conducted with simultaneous interpretation in Spanish and English and included official certification of participation. 

II SFPR Forum 2025 – Walk On: Supporting the Wellbeing of Police Officers in CSAM Investigations 

Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), United Kingdom – 29 April 2025 

SFPR 2025 was held in the Cherie Booth Lecture Theatre of Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), organised by the School of Psychology within the framework of the cooperation agreement signed in 2024 with the University Centre of the Guardia Civil (CUGC). Coordinated by Dr. Ricardo Tejeiro (LJMU), the meeting aimed to examine and compare the formal and informal psychological support systems that different police forces employ to safeguard the wellbeing of their members involved in investigations into child sexual abuse material (Child Sexual Abuse Material, CSAM). 

The day was inaugurated by Prof. Helen Poole, Director of the School of Psychology at LJMU, and Lieutenant Colonel Blas Guillamón, Head of Research at the CUGC. First-level specialists from different countries participated, including Commanders Ángel Martín, Head of Training of the Guardia Civil Psychology Department, and Gemma de la Cruz, Head of Psychology of the Alicante Command (Spain); DCS Paul Lamb, Head of the Vulnerable Persons Protection Department, and Dr. Esther Ingham, Head of the Psychological Support Service, both from Merseyside Police (United Kingdom); Colin Radcliffe, from LJMU and former commander of the National Crime Agency (United Kingdom); Second Lieutenant Michal Leski, specialist of the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime of the Polish Police; Dott.ssa Cristina Bonucchi and Dott.ssa Federica Bensi, from the Cybercrime Analysis Unit of the Italian State Police; Richard Gomm, Senior Investigations Officer of Fiosrú (Office of the Police Ombudsman, Republic of Ireland); Dr. Alberto Paramio, from the Institute for Sustainable Social Development of the University of Cádiz; and Prof. Jacqueline Wheatcroft, from LJMU and forensic expert of the UK Ministry of Justice. 

Objectives of SFPR 2026

1.  Analyse the current and emerging challenges of police leadership in the 21st century, in a context of social, technological, and organisational transformation. 

2.  Explore the role of psychology and resilience as pillars of positive and ethical leadership in security forces and bodies, analysing their function as a protective factor against stress and burnout. 

3.  Share experiences and leadership models implemented in different countries, promoting professional and institutional exchange. 

4.  Strengthen collaboration between academia and police practice, integrating scientific evidence into the management of wellbeing and operational effectiveness. 

5.  Foster the creation of international networks of experts in mental health, leadership, and police training. 

6.  Promote the development of policies and programmes that reinforce the psychological wellbeing and ethical performance of contemporary police leaders.