It is no surprise: we live in a time of ever-changing curriculum standards, training topics and law enforcement technologies. In regards to training, events in the past few years have stirred up nationwide discussions, which have further contributed to the redesign and rebuilding of our training programs.
As an instructor, it is your job to stay up-to-date with these trends and supply your officers with the much-needed training. TJ Alioto, VirTra Subject Matter Expert, broke down some of these topics in his 2021 ILEETA Presentation:
De-Escalation
This is arguably one of the most requested (and demanded) tactics in the history of police training. De-escalation is complicated, as it encompasses many factors: words/phrases used, tone, body language, etc. Teaching officers to correctly read the situation and know the best form of de-escalation is a critical, though complicated, ability to teach.
Minimal Use of Force
While de-escalation may result in no force being used, minimal use of force focuses on using the smallest amount of force to achieve the desired result: control over the situation, a subdued subject, etc. This helps officers to learn the best form of force to use, in addition to times when lesser uses of force would actually be inadequate.
Implicit Bias
One difficulty as an instructor is deciding if there are even issues that need to be trained. One way to test implicit bias is by utilizing a training simulator, such as VirTra’s simulators. Officers can run through the same situation with the only change being to the subject(s) race and gender. Provided scenario metrics can be tracked to determine if an officer or agency is treating people differently based on race or gender.
Mentally Ill & Homeless
Currently, there are record numbers of homeless and mentally ill people living on the streets. As this number rises, officers need to be armed with knowledge of how to best answer these calls. Training simulators can teach officers to recognize various mental illnesses and the appropriate responses, while providing them with scenarios to practice these newly developed skills.
To learn more about current trends and policing, download VirTra Subject Matter Expert TJ Alioto’s 2021 ILEETA presentation.
