L.E.A.D.S. TM Law Enforcement Active De-escalation Strategies
3 Day INSTRUCTOR COURSE
Successful conflict resolution is not achieved through memorized phrases or scripted responses. It is achieved by understanding human behavior, recognizing emotional influences on decision-making, and applying professional communication strategies that promote cooperation while maintaining officer safety.
The LEADS™ System is founded on the belief that communication is a tactical skill. Like any tactical skill, it must be understood, practiced, measured, and continuously refined through deliberate application and professional reflection.
The goal of LEADS™ is not simply to teach officers what to say. The goal is to develop professionals who understand why communication works, when it works, and how to adapt it to the unique circumstances of every encounter.
Instructional Goal
This is a nationally recognized conflict resolution de-escalation certification course. The L.E.A.D.S. ™ Plus T – Law Enforcement Active De-escalation Strategies Training was developed in 2007 and has been taught throughout the United States.
Through lectures, demonstrations, role play, and practical scenario applications, this course is an instructor level program designed to qualify students in the L.E.A.D.S. ™ Plus T – Law Enforcement Active De-escalation Strategies and Tactical Options Program. The course is classroom-based to educate and train instructors in positive communications skills, effective de-escalation techniques, anger management, and combat confrontation avoidance techniques. The course teaches how to recognize aggressive behaviors and keep them from escalating. Students learn Active De-escalation Strategies that can avoid or resolve negative interactions by employing effective de-escalation methods. This course also discusses tactical responses to use when diffusion tactics are inappropriate or ineffective and teaches distraction techniques that promote the success of tactical applications.
INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:
Module 1- De-Escalation
- Define De-escalation. (De-escalation is a decrease in the severity of force used in an incident in direct response to a decrease in the level of resistance.
- Identify five professional benefits and reasons for effective communication training and skills.
- Define and discuss the Rules of Reciprocity; the emotional desire to return the treatment; (treating people with courtesy and respect pays long term dividends.
- Discuss concepts and importance of “empathy” in communications.
- Avoid pre-escalation – First impressions only happened once.
- Define, develop and practice Active listening skills.
- Define, develop and practice Reflective listening skills.
- Discuss 8 concepts of Police Professional Services.
- Discuss how words used can create specific reactions to the brain, resulting in different emotions and how to use specific words to de-escalate.
Module 2 – Anatomy of the Brain Slides
- Define five areas of the brain and their basic functions involving communication, learning and survival.
- Discuss how breathing techniques can redirect oxygenated blood flow within the brain back to focus logic and reasoning.
- Discuss psychophysiological aspects of human performance and how it pertains to conflict resolutions, what you perceive can affect your involuntary physiological responses.
- Discuss how the brain creates and locates neurological pathways that effects memory and behavior.
Module 3 – Conflict Resolution
- Know the 3 C’s of Conflict Resolution and the importance of preparation for cooperation skills, immediate control or to locate cover.
- Understand how rational thought is minimized when in a stressful or angry mindset.
- Discuss how oxygenated blood activity within the brain (pre-frontal cortex) redirects when becoming angry, making a person irritable, impulsive and confused.
- Discuss the Locus of Control and how it uses it to address our own behavior and emotions.
- Develop a Paradigm shift in a thought process to reduce anger and develop a better understanding.
Module 4 – Teaming
- Use “Teaming” terminology to develop subconscious bonds.
- Identify the importance of acknowledgement of subject’s “emotion” and “issue” during communications.
- Understand the principles of strategies when responding to conflicts.
- Understand how “Motivational interviewing techniques” improve problem solving.
Module 5 – Agreement of Communication
- Identify how to “Create an Agreement of Communications.”
- Discuss self-talk techniques to assess the “Level of Importance” when addressing enforcement actions and emotions.
- Understand the ultimate power of displaying respect in all situations (and how to do so for those you don’t,) and discover Blending and Redirection techniques during conversations to suppress anger.
- Understand basic neurolinguistics pertaining to the verbiage used and identify body language for both threatening and positive communications.
- Appropriate responses to those displaying anxious behavior.
- Appropriate responses to those displaying assertive behavior.
Module 6 – Appropriate Responses
- Appropriate responses to those displaying indications of aggression and resistance.
- Identify 16 potential non-verbal displays of potential resistance or aggression.
- Identify appropriate responses to people in crisis.
- Discuss appropriate responses when addressing a subject possibly in agitated states or identified as special populations.
- Discuss principles of strategic responses to mitigate force.
Module 7 – Response Strategies and Tactics
- Define and discuss Selective Attention and Inattentive Blindness
- Recognize “change blindness” and how it affects law-enforcement.
- Identify the principles of “in-attentional blindness” and “focus attention” and how both affect and apply to law enforcement engagements.
- Identify the principles of contact – cover and how it applies for communications.
- Identify force mitigation strategies such as tactical relocation and stalling for combat avoidance.
Module 8 – Professional Services and Closing
- Develop Community Respect and treat people with respect
- Focus on resolving the issues together
- Understand the importance of reading body language and using appropriate responses
- Discuss Service Orientated Policing
The Law Enforcement Active Diffusion Strategies curriculum course was developed in 2007 with the program receiving national recognition. It is presented being used and instructed in the states of FL, CT, RI, MA, ND, MN, MO, MI, CO, AK, CA, AZ, WY, NM, PA, ME and NJ. The L.E.A.D.S. curriculum has been reviewed and approved by the United States Department of Justice.
“There are many training courses that tell officers what to do in certain situations; too few of them show the officers how to do it. The L.E.A.D.S. TM course fills this void. Through L.E.A.D.S. TM training Hartford Police Officers learned how to communicate more effectively; to identify physiological changes that occur when people get angry or hostile; to re-direct thought processes in order to de-escalate hostile situations and to respond tactically when verbal diffusion fails. These skills are put to use daily by the men and women of the Hartford Police Department.”
James C. Rovella
Chief of Police – Hartford CT
The L.E.A.D.S. Curriculum has been reviewed and approved by the United States Department of Justice. 