Verbal De-escalation Training: Surviving Verbal Conflict®

Today’s increased service demands and the scrutiny placed upon public safety professionals have resulted in a growing need to master verbal conflict management skills. When negative verbal encounters escalate to the point where physical intervention is used, criticism often results when it is later discovered that there is little evidence of verbal de-escalation techniques employed by officers. This is particularly true when incident video and audio reviews are utilized. In some cases, it has become clear that the verbal actions of the public safety responders served to escalate the situation. Administrators are now asking, “Is this an area in which the training tape has run out? Have we adequately trained our personnel to successfully manage and respond to verbal confrontations in a professional manner?"

Verbal De-escalation training provides public safety professionals with time-tested communication skills proven to help de-escalate volatile situations, safeguard fellow officers’ emotional and professional well-being, and significantly enhance the agency’s professional image. The course also provides opportunities for the participants to engage in practical skill building so that when they complete the training they are well on their way to becoming more effective professionals in communication.

Course Objectives:

• Improve public safety professionals’ verbal communication skills
• How to apply Rhetoric- Aristotle’s Art of Persuasion (The art of using speech to persuade) when deflecting & redirecting verbal abuse
• Develop an understanding of Chief Dolan’s “Guardians of the Peace” concept, “Language of the Street Fallacy,” and “TUI Pattern” (texting, typing, or talking under the influence)
• Defuse potentially volatile verbal encounters
• Avoid the “Rope-A-Dope Syndrome”
• Understand the importance of managing “Hyper vigilance”
• Raise organizational morale and grasp the concept of “Police Legitimacy”
• Significantly enhance the agency’s image throughout the community
• Practice “Verbal Contact & Cover” principles
• Apply the FAA’s “Sterile Cockpit Rule” on duty
• Understand the importance of “Chief Dolan’s 24 Hour Rule” as a key component of communication success