De-Escalation

De-escalation, a term once confined to the jargon of conflict resolution and psychology, has become widely recognized in law enforcement. This strategy incorporates actions and communications, both verbal and non-verbal, aimed at stabilizing tense situations and minimizing the immediacy of potential threats.^[1] By providing officers with an extended toolkit that goes beyond the use of physical force, de-escalation has the potential to facilitate better outcomes for police officers and the communities they serve.

However, it is important to clarify that de-escalation is not merely a policing strategy; it can serve as a catalyst for broader societal change. Incorporating de-escalation techniques into policing methods may significantly influence public perceptions of law enforcement, building trust and legitimacy. If police interactions are guided by the principles of safeguarding life and minimizing unnecessary force, both officers and citizens stand to benefit.

The Model Policy prioritizes de-escalation strategies to address a wide range of situations and focuses on equipping officers with the mindset and tactical knowledge to implement this technique.^[2] This module requires officers to use de-escalation as a tool of first resort, including before using force and before escalating the level of force. The Model Policy also requires officers to de-escalate force immediately as resistance decreases and to stop using force if a person stops resisting. Officers should evaluate each situation independently, including the impact of their own actions and whether a person’s non-compliance results from the person’s deliberate attempts to resist or inability to comply.

De-Escalation as a tool of first resort for officers

Police once primarily associated de-escalation with managing mental health emergencies. However, in recent years, law enforcement experts and policy-makers have increasingly endorsed an expanded application of the strategy. Research demonstrating that de-escalation can reduce the use of force and injuries^[3] has propelled this evolution, and the strategy’s adoption by leading policing organizations like the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) has reinforced the shift.^[4] These developments have led many police departments to implement policies requiring officers to employ de-escalation techniques.

Research continues to support expanding de-escalation. In 2019, researchers collaborated with the Louisville Metro Police Department to evaluate the impact of PERF-developed de-escalation training. The study found statistically significant reductions in use of force incidents, citizen injuries, and officer injuries after officers received the training.^[5] Other cities, such as Los Angeles and Dallas, have also experienced successes after implementing de-escalation training, including significant reductions in fatal shootings.^[6]

The Model Policy’s approach to de-escalation techniques

Following research and policing trends, this module requires officers to use de-escalation as their primary strategy before contemplating force—a tool of first resort. The Model Policy includes a broad range of de-escalation techniques, emphasizing their adaptability to diverse situations. Officers are expected to use these techniques that can decelerate, de-intensify, and stabilize encounters, with the goal of minimizing or eliminating the need for force.

To calm an agitated person, for instance, officers can ensure that a single, designated officer communicates with and addresses the person, sharing the officer’s name and exhibiting a genuine willingness to listen. In a conversation with a person an officer can use procedural justice techniques like explaining the reasons for the police’s presence and the officers’ specific actions.

De-escalation techniques can also decrease an officer’s exposure to certain threats in common policing situations by creating distance, seeking cover, and tactically repositioning the officer behind barriers or objects. By waiting out individuals, avoiding physical confrontations, and even calling in extra officers or crisis response resources, police can slow the pace of an incident and create opportunities to safely resolve a situation.

The Model Policy recognizes that, in certain circumstances, some de-escalation techniques may prove impractical and, if attempted, might jeopardize the safety of the officer or another person. For example, if an officer arrives on a scene where an individual is threatening a bystander with a knife at close range, it may not make sense for the officer to approach the armed individual with calming gestures, like having the officer’s arms extended with their palms facing out. But it may make sense for the officer to employ other de-escalation strategies, like speaking slowly in a calm voice and verbally persuading, advising, or threatening the person to put down the knife and step away from the bystander. Thus, while requiring the use of de-escalation techniques, the Model Policy does not require officers to pursue any particular de-escalation technique that could jeopardize their safety or the safety of another person.

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De-Escalation as a continuing tool once force is used

There is a dual aspect to de-escalation. It should be an essential first step for officers, employed before resorting to any level of force. But it also plays a crucial role once force is used, compelling officers to promptly reduce, and ultimately stop, the application of force as soon as any form of resistance or threat begins to diminish.

The Model Policy embraces this extension of de-escalation principles beyond an initial encounter, reinforcing that de-escalation continues to play a critical role even after force has been used. Specifically, officers are required to closely monitor an individual’s behavior and stop their use of force as the person’s resistance or threat level subsides. This approach ensures that force, once used, is not sustained unnecessarily, and is adjusted dynamically in response to an evolving situation. Throughout the Model Policy’s modules, de-escalation is more than an introductory protocol, it is a continuous obligation integrated into the entire span of police interactions with community members.^[7]

De-Escalation training and culture

Successfully integrating de-escalation into police work requires comprehensive training for officers on specific techniques, critical thinking skills, and tactical mindsets. While most police departments offer some form of de-escalation training, the degree of implementation varies significantly across jurisdictions.^[8] To ensure that officers understand the latest de-escalation strategies and research, the Model Policy requires police to complete initial and, at a minimum, annual training on the techniques, including alternatives to force.

Police leaders may need to change their department’s mindset to effectively implement and use de-escalation strategies. For example, the PERF training on de-escalation notes that traditional police training and culture emphasize the need for officers to immediately take control of every situation and resolve matters as quickly as possible.^[9] While comprehensive de-escalation training will help change this mindset, the Model Policy also recommends using leaders at all seniority levels of the department to reinforce the importance of the de-escalation mindset in day-to-day policing.^[10]

The Model Policy sets forth responsibilities for supervisors and training officers with respect to de-escalation. This approach ensures that the principles are further ingrained in the department's culture and practiced more consistently by officers at all levels.^[11]