Force Science – Fundamentals of Realistic De-Escalation

Certification

This course is certified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board.

Training Mandates

• De-Escalation Techniques (8.0 hrs.)

Description

Members of the law enforcement profession have come under intense pressure in recent years to prioritize efforts at employing de-escalation techniques in force encounters. Fundamentals of Realistic De-Escalation is a one-day course describing the often-challenging expectations placed on law enforcement officers that they gain compliance without using physical force. Oftentimes, not using physical force at all may not be realistic or safe. The legitimate goal of de-escalation tactics is to resolve problems with minimal use of force.

This course presents concepts and methods to support de-escalation efforts when personal connections can be made. Participants will be provided with knowledge to apply in real-world situations. This includes learning ways to address the needs of people in a state of a mental health crisis, or those whose perception of reality is altered. Worst-case scenarios in these types of situations can end with harm to the officer, bystanders or the subject, and scenarios such as suicide by cop further complicate the picture for responding officers.

Topics

• Articulate what “de-escalation” actually means, what its objectives are and in what situations they can and cannot consider it.
• Discuss the tactical principles of de-escalation, risk assessment and decision-making.
• Quickly evaluate an interaction to determine whether de-escalation is reasonable to consider, tactically practical and likely to be successful.
• Apply concepts from the Force Science approach, such as the “Response-ability Zone” and the “7 Ts De-Escalation Evaluation Model” to evaluate tactics that are needed or likely to be successful in supporting a de-escalation process.
• Make better connections, establish rapport and use effective principles of persuasion when dealing with difficult subjects, including those who are mentally ill, through the application of the “Behavior Influence Stairway Model.”
• Enhance de-escalation efforts by strategically combining human performance research findings, observations of subject behavior and psychological tactics for negotiation and influence.
• Apply the “Thought/Emotion Behavior” (TEB) Matrix to quickly recognize whether a subject is in “conflict,” “crisis” or has “contaminated” thinking, and therefore which strategies of persuasion are most likely to be effective.
• Better ensure that officers’ approach and control strategies maximize their response options while minimizing the potential for unnecessary emotional or physical escalation.
• Balance the desirability of trying to resolve a conflict peacefully with the need to maintain officer and public safety.
• Recognize and list common barriers to effective communication that officers often use unintentionally, promoting better practices such as active listening.
• Discuss how professional de-escalation techniques embrace the concepts of “fair and impartial” and “rightful policing” principles.
• Assist investigators and other personnel reviewing uses of force to recognize the pivotal behavioral and situational factors that must go into an assessment of whether de-escalation efforts might have been feasible or potentially effective.
• Help community members and media outlets better understand what realistic de-escalation entails and the challenges that subjects may present that can inhibit, if not prohibit, an officer’s ability to safely de-escalate.

Instructor

Deadline

Please register for this course by November 29.