VIRTUAL – Law Enforcement Active De-escalation Strategies

Daigle Law Group
presents
LIVE – VIRTUAL TRAINING

April 1 – 2, 2026
1000 – 1400 Each day

The award-winning L.E.A.D.S.™ training program (Law Enforcement Active De-escalation Strategies) was developed by internationally recognized law enforcement trainer and speaker Lt. Kevin F. Dillon (Ret.) in 2007 for law enforcement, corrections, and private security operations.

This practical and effective communication-based program equips officers with the skills to manage interpersonal confrontations, de-escalate volatile situations, and enhance professional interactions. The training is designed to reduce complaints, mitigate the use of force and importance of documentation, lower liability risks, and improve overall officer response.

Participants will learn to recognize aggressive behaviors and implement techniques to prevent escalation. The course emphasizes Active Diffusion Strategies that help avoid or resolve negative interactions through proven de-escalation methods. Additionally, it covers tactical responses for situations where diffusion tactics are either inappropriate or ineffective and introduces distraction techniques to enhance the success of tactical applications.

The training incorporates lectures, demonstrations, and case studies to ensure comprehensive and practical learning experience.

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:

Understanding Human Behavior and Conflict

• Discuss the psychophysiological aspects of human performance and how they relate to conflict resolution.
• Identify how oxygenated blood activity in the brain (pre-frontal cortex) is affected by anger, leading to irritability, impulsivity, and confusion.
• Understand the impact of rational thought during stress or anger, and how it is minimized in these states.
• Discuss the pre-frontal cortex and limbic systems of the brain and how they address conflict.
• Examine how the brain forms neurological imprints based on past experiences, responding to current stimuli with past practices (Evidence-Based Training Methods).
• Understand the concepts of “change blindness” and “in-attentional blindness” and how they affect cognitive responses during conflict.
• Identify the principles of “focus of attention” and how it applies in conflict responses.

Emotional Control and De-escalation Techniques

• Discuss how to control angry brain patterns and why officers must manage their emotional responses through the “Locus of Control.”
• Define and apply the three Cs of Conflict Resolution: Cooperation, Control, and Cover (including backup plans).
• Learn methods for controlling emotional responses and redirecting negative thought patterns through positive techniques.
• Understand the importance of “Teaming” terminology to create subconscious bonds and foster cooperation.
• Discuss motivational interviewing techniques to improve problem-solving and de-escalation outcomes.
• Learn strategies for tactical relocations and stalling techniques to avoid confrontations.
• Discuss the importance of displaying empathy and respect during communications, especially with agitated subjects or special populations.
• Learn to acknowledge the subject’s emotion first and then address the issue at hand.
• Discuss the principles of strategic responses as an option to mitigate the use of force.

Communication and Body Language

• Identify effective verbal de-escalation strategies and discuss how to create “Agreements of Communication.”
• Identify and use body language for both positive and threatening communications.
• Learn to use Blending and Redirection techniques during conversations to develop neural resonance.
• Identify the basic neuro-linguistic programming principles in relation to verbiage used in de-escalation.

Special Populations and High-Stress Situations

• Discuss appropriate responses for perceived unusual behaviors  (e.g., mental illness, autism, disabilities) when engaging in de-escalation efforts.
• Discuss the steps for addressing subjects in an agitated state, ensuring a safe and controlled response.

Use of Force and Legal Considerations

• Discuss how de-escalation or the lack thereof can influence legal outcomes in use-of-force incidents.
• Understand the importance of tracking and trending both use-of-force incidents and de-escalation successes to improve training and outcomes.

REGISTER HERE

The L.E.A.D.S. ™ Plus T – Law Enforcement Active Diffusion Strategies and Tactical Options was developed in 2007 receiving national recognition.  It has been presented and established curriculum in the states of CT, RI, MA, ND, ME, MN, MO, MI, SD, CO, AK, CA, AZ, WY, TX, FL, NE, HI and NM. Agencies under a Federal Consent Decree have had the L.E.A.D.S. ™ curriculum reviewed and approved by the United States Department of Justice as part of the Consent agreement.

The FBI National Academy Associates – 2022 Science and Innovation Award

The selection committee unanimously selected L.O.C.K.U.P. Arrest and Control Training and L.E.A.D.S. Law Enforcement Active Diffusion Strategies Training Systems over all other nominees as the recipient of the 2022 Science and Innovation Award.

“The L.O.C.K.UP. training differentiated itself from other Defensive tactics programs being instructed throughout the country. L.O.C.K.U.P. is not a technique-based training system but the emphasis is on the actual collection of data on the use of force incidents, and detailed reporting to determine the effectiveness and needs assessments of the officers on the street.”    FBI National Academy Associates – Charitable Foundation Award