Thoughts from an NYPD De-Escalation Trainer

From the News Vault
(June 11, 2020)

 

By Will Nassau

(These views are mine alone and do not represent past organizations I’ve worked for).

Several friends have asked my perspective on the police clashes happening in New York. As someone who has trained over a thousand NYPD officers in de-escalation, conflict resolution, and mediation skills, I am troubled and heartbroken.

I am someone who is committed to police and criminal justice reform, police accountability and racial justice. And while I have come to care deeply for the officers I have trained as full, three dimensional human beings with diverse views and backgrounds, I know they can and must do better.

For the past five years I have led an intensive, monthly four-day training for 25 officers at a time. These trainings taught officers how to use conflict resolution skills to respond to anger toward the police with active listening, empathy, and patience. The trainings involved extensive role playing, coaching, discussion, peer feedback and more. It was not a ‘check-the-box’ training by any definition.

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Source: Linkedin