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Seattle Police to Receive De-Escalation Training
Seattle, WA – In a move to reduce excessive force incidents, the Seattle Police Department has been approved for a department-wide tactical de-escalation training program. The training, which will be implemented by all 1,300 sworn officers, aims to teach them that tactical de-escalation is more than a set of specific skills but also an overarching approach to incident resolution and community policing.
The goal of the training is to teach SPD officers that tactical de-escalation is more than a set of specific skills but also an overarching approach to incident resolution and community policing. De-escalation more broadly refers to the strategic slowing down of an incident in a manner that allows officers more time, distance, space and tactical flexibility during dynamic situations on the street.
The training, which is a key requirement of the 2012 consent decree entered by the city and the federal government to address a pattern and practice of excessive use of force by SPD officers, will be implemented in phases. The training will be woven into every aspect of more specific technical training that SPD officers will receive throughout the year, including firearms, individual and team defensive tactics and more.
“De-escalation tactics are essential skills for police officers and departments both to help to ensure constitutional policing and to improve public safety and officer safety,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Force must be both reasonable and necessary, and this training will provide valuable guidance to officers when they make split-second decisions about when and how to use force.”
“Tactical de-escalation goes to the heart of the consent decree,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “Training in these skills will give officers the tools they need to avoid, mitigate, or minimize force encounters. When put to use, these skills keep both officers and the individuals they encounter safer, allowing officers to focus on their primary mission –
According to Federal Court Monitor Merrick Bobb, the training will put “substantial ‘meat on the bones’ of what ‘de-escalation’ is in its full scope and how, when, and why such techniques should be used.”
The training is a significant step forward in the city’s efforts to address excessive force incidents and improve community policing. With the approval of the training program, the Seattle Police Department is taking a vital step toward compliance with the consent decree.
Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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