Improving Law Enforcement Perception With New Training

Several recent high-profile cases in which police officers were accused of causing death, injuries, or even sexual harassment while conducting their duty, were brought to public attention by and as a result of massive digital camera usage combined with the photographer's desire to get attention on social media.

Recently, I led a trial training with police officers from New Jersey. Two topics were discussed and practiced:

1. What can and cannot be done by law enforcement representatives, not only during the arrest inside and outside of the vehicle, but also at all stages before and after?

2. When the average police officer only receives a few hours of physical tactical defense training per year, how can they prepare or train in a way to defend themselves and act fast without causing undue harm in real situations – the grocery store, alley, a closed dark space?

1. What Can Law Enforcement Do or Not Do?

In a social media and CCTV age, law enforcement is being watched carefully, and their actions captured by bystanders. This has led to increased scrutiny and analysis of behavior, especially ‘bad’ or incorrect behavior.

I also have been an increase in demand for improved and new approaches to training of law enforcement officers, as a result of video images circulated in media and awareness that many training methods are in need of an update to match current realities. Recently, I joined Captain William Varanelli for a police seminar in New Jersey, training officers on ‘Applying contemporary research to the use of force investigations is critical to defining our objective reasonableness standard.‘ This workshop highlighted that CCTV, body cameras and even phone cameras capture partial reality at24 or 36 frames per second, and as such, also misses pieces of information in any given incident. Typically, the captured reality erases important details and not in favor of the law enforcement agent.

The seminar discussion included an interesting and unexpected finding: the number of deaths and malpractice incidents from medical procedures is hundreds of times higher than deaths related to law enforcement agencies. Yet, in the public eye, thanks to the media and social media, most people think law enforcement officers are ‘bad’ and doctors or hospitals ‘good.’ The lines are much grayer, of course. Some doctors are good, some bad. Some law enforcement professionals are good, some bad. Yet one incident caught on camera and resulting from poor training, or a poorly captured video could destroy the entire career of a good officer. And I’m sure there are many cases where it has.

2. A New Way to Train, Starting in Only One Hour

In the recent tactical defense training I trialed with a few willing NJ police officers, we examined both - from law and physical perspectives how public law enforcement agents are instructed to act, and how this aligns (or doesn’t) with human behavior of the counterpart, who enters a state of stress, fear, anger and frustration when an officer approaches.

My training also focuses on other realities that are important in designing a fast, and realistic solution. For example,

·???????Officers come in all shapes and sizes, personalities, ages and genders! The reality is that this affects how they default to responding and best physical response, in some cases. Police do not have a budget for long-term training and refreshments.

·???????Any activity could and very often is captured on camera; and can also go viral via social media, attracting thousands of viewers in under 24 hours

·???????Officers are not always perceived as kind and well-intended by default, and any evidence of this captured on video or witnessed by an audience – such as a public and aggressive arrest- could inflame a crowd like wildlife. So, what is the correct and acceptable timing for arrest before a situation escalates out of control, and how can a crowd who might make the situation worse be avoided?

·???????A suspect and officer enter adrenaline induced or stressed out mode in many confrontations. This causes most people to go into a ‘fight-of-flight’ or automatic response mode. Sometimes this is called the animal instinct, not the rational conscious thought processes that can be turned on with more time, and less stress. And unfortunately, automatic response in the absence of sufficient physical training can lead to unnecessary disater.

Fortunately, this is what training based on many years of fine tuning, and data informed, can correct for- and yes, starting with only 1 hour of training! Many more hours is of course recommended. I generally recommend an initial intensive training followed by quarterly or at least annual refresher sessions.

One Hour is Where It Can Start

During my recent one hour of training, we went through several stages of making an arrest. There are several critical factors and actions that should be applied for successful implementation. As soon as a decision about the need for an arrest is made, in addition to the below list, timing is also critical.

• Proper communication between members of law enforcement agents and suspects
• Body language recognition and usage
• Arrest management procedure
• Control

As a result, we carried out an arrest in which the ‘suspect’ was detained and ‘safe packed’ or safely placed in the car, while avoiding any aggression or escalation of further upset, into a designated vehicle?in less than 10 seconds- and of course, with no injury or harm either to anyone involved!

Everyone has the Right to Be Safe

At the end of the day, whether a law enforcement officer or a plain clothed civilian, everyone deserves to be better prepared from undue harm. Law enforcement officers may believe they are protected by wearing a uniform, carrying a badge or being in possession of a firearm; but do you know how many deaths and injuries of individuals are caused by the false assumption that having a fire arm will protect you in all situations?

Many forms of training can be valuable. Some train on use of firearms. Some train on tackling. I focus on teaching men, women, tall, short, fast, less fast on how to act with the resources available in the context of whatever is the possible reality. For example, if an attacker or perpetrator is 2 -7 feet away, it is impossible to reach and fire a weapon accurately. ?It is like being unarmed, and now also distracted with even less time to get away or consciously respond. This is where my training helps to quickly reset automatic response to one that de-risks and ends a situation as fast and non-aggressively as possible.

Providing effective self-defense tactics training so that individuals are prepared to respond even if trapped in narrow or restricted areas or within close distance from an attacker are the key to successful implementation and survival. ?

?The Duty of Care for Physical Safety

Law enforcement is a profession and service that has been around for a long time. Its shift to incorporate new practices, improved training, and data that informs on how to improve response, or correct for past errors is part of the duty of care. It also will help to bring more positive attention to law enforcement officers, so that fewer people perceive them as threats or aggressors- or default to assuming the worst.?

Yuly Grosman

Email: [email protected]