The confrontation began when a police officer pulled up behind a vehicle that was stopped in the middle of the street. When the vehicle did not move, the officer honked his horn. When the vehicle still did not move, the officer approached and asked for the driver’s license and registration.
Unknown at first to the officer, the driver was a city councilman who had a history with police. Captured on body cam footage, the driver immediately became belligerent, using an endless stream of profanity toward the officer and refusing to follow his directions. He told the officer he was his boss and to “leave him the f**k alone.” He put his hands on the officer and at one point tried to drive off. He blasted music from his car stereo, including a song with the refrain “F**k the police.” He tried to incite bystanders against the officer.
Through all this, the officer remained calm. He didn’t raise his voice. He treated the driver with professional courtesy. He followed protocol – calling for backup and insisting that the driver remain in the vehicle. He never once reacted in kind to the taunts, insults and venom coming from the man. He tried to reason with him, explaining that if he could just check the man’s license and registration, he could soon be on his way.
Patience pays off
None of this really had any effect on making the driver more reasonable. He was just as angry at the end of this encounter as he was at the beginning. But this officer’s (and the others’) actions at that scene had a huge effect on the larger outcome.
No one got hurt. No weapons were drawn. No one was arrested (despite the driver’s taunts for the police to do so.) The officers handled the incident like the routine traffic stop it was, despite the driver’s insistence on escalating the matter.
The video shows the officers displaying the much-needed patience of the job. They simply don’t react to the man’s terrible behavior and language. They do their jobs in a professional manner, never taking the bait.
It must have been hard. I felt my blood pressure rising just watching the video. I can only imagine what it felt like to those on the scene. How did they pull it off?
Police practice de-escalation skills – and firefighters should, too
The officers clearly had preparation for incidents of this nature. It was obvious that they had practiced and planned for such encounters and were not blindsided by what was taking place.
Preparation. Training. Practice. Support. These are the four elements that make de-escalation possible and allow first responders to consistently maintain a professional presence.
Police officers know that they will be dealing with angry, out-of-control people daily, so they prepare for it. Most police departments conduct specific training on de-escalation skills. They practice those skills in controlled settings, monitored by experienced facilitators. Perhaps most importantly, the best law enforcement agencies have leaders who embrace and model values that reflect professionalism and de-escalation in community interactions.
Fire departments are now recognizing that they also need to develop skills to de-escalate incidents. Firefighters are increasingly seen in an authoritarian role, sometimes lumped together with police by those involved in or witnessing an emergency response. Firefighters may not get the training and support they need to effectively scale back a situation that is spiraling out of control. In some situations, firefighters’ emotional reactions in the moment have had the effect of making situations worse.
Scenario training is a good way to develop better de-escalation skills. Facilitators can choose several actual situations where things went off the rails between firefighters and members of the community, or other agencies. They can then review those situations objectively to determine the following:
- At what point did the energy start to go bad?
- What could have been done differently to redirect that energy?
- What effect did nonverbal communication have on the situation – body language, gestures, tone of voice? (It was notable in the situation described above that none of the officers raised their voices or allowed a sarcastic or dismissive tone to intrude. That takes practice and an incredible amount of control.)
The bigger impact of de-escalation
The ability to de-escalate a difficult scene is a skill that benefits everyone. No additional harm is done. Subsequent actions taken against any person involved are not tainted by the on-scene behavior of first responders. Bystanders see emergency responders taking the moral high ground and behaving professionally. This enhances trust within the community.
De-escalation is also a way of taking back control of a scene, and control is what emergency response is all about.
First responders will feel better about themselves when they have the skills and support to effectively de-escalate situations. Those situations will have a more positive outcome, even under the most difficult conditions.
De-escalation requires preparation, and the necessary skills are developed through training and practice. Once those skills are in place, they help to shape the identity of an organization in a way that is positive for everyone.
Editor’s Note: Does your department conduct de-escalation training? Share in the comments below.
