De-Escalation

Question 1

What are the 5 steps of the Critical Decision Making Model? (CDM)

Answer 1

Step 1: Collect information
Step 2: Assess situation, threats, and risks
Step 3: Consider police powers and agency policy
Step 4: Identify options and determine best course of action
Step 5: Act, review, and re-assess

Question 2

What are the benefits of the CDM?

Answer 2

Organize the decision-making process

• Assists officers to make better decisions
• Assists officers in explaining their actions after the incident to provide a structured, rational explanation increasing credibility.

Question 3

Identify behaviors associated with a person experiencing behavioral crisis.

Answer 3

• Individual not responding to verbal commands.
• Lack of coherence
• Agitated
• Talking to themselves
• Poor hygiene

Question 4

In regards to the principles and best practices for effectively responding to a person in a behavioral crisis, your mission is not to ___________ or __________ issues.

Answer 4

Diagnose/ treat or solve

Question 5

Your top priority is to __________ defuse and ____________ the situation.

Answer 5

Verbally/ stabilize

Question 6

Try to get a person to a state where they can ___________ and better reason, where _____________ can be achieved.

Answer 6

Function/ voluntary compliance.

Question 7

When engaging and connecting with a person in behavioral crisis, you should………….

Answer 7

-Request backup and specialized help
-Don’t rush the situation unless immediate action is required
-Focus on calming the situation
-continually assess and re-assess
-communicate, communicate, communicate.
-Active listening
-Watch body language (yours and theirs)
-Always be respectful, never dismissive.

Question 8

As emotions rise, rational thinking ______________.

Answer 8

Declines

Question 9

____________ someone’s emotions can help them think more rationally and make better decisions.

Answer 9

Lowering

Question 10

_____% of your time is listening. ______% of your time is talking.

Answer 10

80/ 20 rule

Question 11

Use _________ to your advantage.

Answer 11

Silence

Question 12

Project the _______ body language.

Answer 12

Right

Question 13

Make eye contact and use _____________ gestures.

Answer 13

Open-handed

Question 14

Modulate your ______ of voice.

Answer 14

Tone

Question 15

Demonstrate key verbal communications skills that are critical to defusing tense
situations and gaining voluntary compliance.

Answer 15

Use the team concept.
* Establish rapport.
* Ask questions or make requests clearly, and one at a time.
* Ask open-ended questions, especially “what” and “how” questions.
* Encourage conversation, but do not dominate it.
* Provide options.
* Emotional contagion.

Question 16

Explain use of the Critical Decision-Making Model (CDM) in responding to and managing a critical incident.

Answer 16

Collect information
“Tactical pause”
Preparing yourself

Question 17

Only _________ officer should be communicating with the subject.

Answer 17

One

Question 18

Other personnel that arrive at the scene should be providing cover, using less-lethal weapons, and _________________.

Answer 18

Establishing perimeters.

Question 19

After arriving on the scene, if no immoderate threat is present, the officers should “ slow the situation down.” This is called a ______________.

Answer 19

Tactical Pause

Question 20

Conducted to uncover and document strengths weaknesses of the response to
an incident.
* Part of a continuous learning and improvement process
* Purpose: to improve future performance.
* Include the topic of implicit bias in your review of the incident.

Answer 20

AAR (After Action Review)

Question 21

Explain concepts such as “tactical pause,” “distance + cover = time,” and “tactical repositioning.”

Answer 21

• Tactical Pause: Officers must be prepared to act as soon as they arrive on the scene. But if there is no immediate threat and they have time to “slow the situation down”, they should use that to their tactical advantage.

• Distance + cover = time: When officers are in close quarters with a potential threat and they feel pressed for time, options quickly dwindle. But when officers have distance, cover, and time, their options multiply.

• Tactical repositioning: maintaining a position of advantage and a safety zone.

Watch their hands

Question 22

Recognize principles and best practices for effectively responding to a person in behavioral crisis.

Answer 22

• Your mission is not to diagnose or treat/solve issues.
• Top priority is to verbally defuse and stabilize the situation.
• Try to get a person to a state where they can function and better reason, where voluntary compliance can be achieved.