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Modern training techniques focus heavily, almost pathologically, on maintaining Officer safety and controlling the situation. Training techniques, like the Tue

Modern training techniques focus heavily, almost pathologically, on maintaining Officer safety and controlling the situation. Training techniques, like the Tueller Drill reinforce the notion that everyone is a threat and should be treating accordingly. There is very little training on de-escalation as it's incompatible with Officer safety and often requires an Officer to relinquish control of a situation. And unfortunately when dealing with people who have mental health issues, you're often not in control of the situation and neither are they.

Osiris 8y ago
I see training as the most important thing to change to address the shootings that many of us, outside of law enforcement, see as preventable. I have two brothers that are CHP. They have never discharged their weapons at an individual, but talking to them, this attitude of their personal safety being the most important part of how they handle a situation, makes it very difficult for them to understand how police actions can actually create the danger they are claiming to want to prevent.
- cptskippy 8y ago
  And it's not necessarily that the techniques being taught are wrong, just the context of how they're presented. There's a distinction to be made between Officer Safety and personal safety. There's also the unfortunate reality that practical techniques like securing your sidearm or anticipating a threat can be misconstrued as threatening or intimating and can often escalate a situation. There could also be some benefit to providing some training the public on what to expect and how to behave in the presence of a Police Officer. I was pulled over when I was a teenager and I immediately started digging in my glove box for my insurance card and registration. When I pulled them out and turned to my window I was greeted by the Officer's gun in my face. There's also a lot to be said for training Officers on how to deal with the public and de-escalate situations. I was the victim of a public assault and while I was waiting to be interviewed by the Officer conducting the investigation, another Officer casually approached me. She acknowledged that I was upset, fidgety, and gesticulated when I spoke. She provided some consultation and advised me to keep my hands at my side and speak slowly while being interviewed by the other Officer.
jimnotgym 8y ago
Take the guns off the officers, watch their skills at de-escallation improve instantly.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]

Osiris 8y ago

I see training as the most important thing to change to address the shootings that many of us, outside of law enforcement, see as preventable. I have two brothers that are CHP. They have never discharged their weapons at an individual, but talking to them, this attitude of their personal safety being the most important part of how they handle a situation, makes it very difficult for them to understand how police actions can actually create the danger they are claiming to want to prevent.

cptskippy 8y ago
And it's not necessarily that the techniques being taught are wrong, just the context of how they're presented. There's a distinction to be made between Officer Safety and personal safety. There's also the unfortunate reality that practical techniques like securing your sidearm or anticipating a threat can be misconstrued as threatening or intimating and can often escalate a situation. There could also be some benefit to providing some training the public on what to expect and how to behave in the presence of a Police Officer. I was pulled over when I was a teenager and I immediately started digging in my glove box for my insurance card and registration. When I pulled them out and turned to my window I was greeted by the Officer's gun in my face. There's also a lot to be said for training Officers on how to deal with the public and de-escalate situations. I was the victim of a public assault and while I was waiting to be interviewed by the Officer conducting the investigation, another Officer casually approached me. She acknowledged that I was upset, fidgety, and gesticulated when I spoke. She provided some consultation and advised me to keep my hands at my side and speak slowly while being interviewed by the other Officer.

jimnotgym 8y ago

Take the guns off the officers, watch their skills at de-escallation improve instantly.

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]