Building Resilience: EUAM Ukraine Trains Police Officers in Tactical First Aid
October 06, 2025
In September and October, EUAM Ukraine supported law enforcement officers from Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson and Kirovohrad regions with specialized trainings in Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) in Odesa.
The first training, held in early September, was a four-day Combat Life Saver (CLS) Advanced First Aid training. Participants practiced essential life-saving skills such as bleeding control, airway management, treatment of shock, burns, fractures, and evacuation procedures. In October it was followed by a Training of Trainers (ToT), which certified officers as NAEMT TCCC instructors on All Service Member (ASM) level. In addition to advanced medical knowledge, the ToT focused on teaching methods, preparing graduates to pass on their knowledge and skills to colleagues across their agencies.
Constant shelling and drone attacks in southern Ukraine mean that police officers often find themselves acting as first responders, assisting civilians and colleagues alike. By equipping officers not only with advanced first aid skills but also with the capacity to train others, EUAM helps ensure that these life-saving techniques reach as many frontline law enforcement staff as possible. To support this effort, EUAM also provided 100 CAT tourniquets to the Kherson Training Centre. As the region continues to suffer daily attacks, such life-saving assets are critical for both officers and civilians.
“We work in a frontline zone. Every day there are evacuations from areas like Antonivka or the Ostriv district in Kherson. Police officers face constant drone threats and shelling, including at the checkpoints, which are often targeted. Sometimes we need help just as much as the civilians we protect. The training gives us the skills to save lives in such conditions,” said Alina Zastala, Senior Inspector at the Kherson Region Police Training Centre.
“Supporting Tactical Combat Casualty Care training is paramount to EUAM’s mission, as it strengthens resilience, saves lives on the frontlines, and equips Ukraine’s law enforcement with vital skills for high-risk environments. It is inspiring to see the dedication of police officers, who emphasize that this training is both highly valued and urgently needed in their daily duties,” added Jan Ryving, EUAM Adviser on Community Policing.
Beyond strengthening the operational readiness of law enforcement agencies, these initiatives directly benefit civilians in southern regions Ukraine. Officers equipped with advanced first aid skills often become the first line of assistance during evacuations, after shelling, or in other emergencies. By investing in such training, EUAM not only contributes to saving lives today, but also to building long-term resilience, trust, and professional standards within Ukraine’s law enforcement community.
