Verbal de-escalation: The most important skill an officer can have6860286
With no work at all, your mouth can get you into a lot of difficulty. All too often officers say all the wrong things at the incorrect time, serving only to escalate a situation to the point of physical confrontation. Anybody can go hands-on it requires ability to de-escalate a scenario with words. In order to be really effective, verbal de-escalation, like any ability, demands practice. The next time you are presented with an argumentative or non-compliant subject think about the following points.
First and foremost, remain calm
The late Dr. George Thompson taught us that one of the seven things you never say to anyone is “Calm Down”. If we want someone to calm down we should stay calm ourselves. If you allow insults, threats, or feelings to get the best of you then your authority has been compromised and there is small chance of resolving the situation peacefully. It is only by remaining calm ourselves that we seize control of the scenario.
People’s natural inclination is to adopt the behavior of these about them. It is easy to enter into a shouting match with an irate person it takes far more discipline to stay calm in the face of aggression. Likewise, it is tough for an irate person to remain so when the individual he is engaged with is relaxed and speaking in a calm reassuring tone. By approaching the situation with this concept in mind it is feasible to influence another’s behavior by controlling our own (Thompson, 2005).
Designate one individual to speak
This is an important consideration in each verbal and physical confrontations. Designating one speaker eliminates conflicting messages and provides the topic with a single point of get in touch with. This is especially important when communicating with an emotionally or mentally compromised individual. When a person’s faculties are impaired by feelings, drugs or mental illness, multiple speakers can be counterproductive top to confusion and frustration. Confusion and frustration can cause a individual to shut down or turn out to be aggressive. One individual speaking in a clear, calm manner offers the subject with a single point of focus and time to process the information becoming presented to them.
Get rid of unnecessary conflict
If there is conflict between the subject and a specific employees member or inmate, remove that person from the scenario. In such a scenario, it is nearly not possible to gain the subject’s interest whilst the other party is still present.
If the subject expresses a particular bias, it might be necessary to find an alternative speaker. Conflicts are often racial or gender motivated. Gender bias can go either way but I’ve often found that a female officer will have more success with an irate male.
It might be helpful to find an officer with whom the topic can identify. In a correctional setting it is often feasible to find an officer who has already constructed a rapport with the subject. An aggravated topic is much more most likely to comply with the demands of an officer with whom he has a good history.
Do not compromise safety
It is important that whilst we make an try to defuse a situation verbally that we do not let our guard down. Listen and watch for indicators of impending violence. As we engage these people in dialogue we must make safety a top priority. We are all familiar with the blatant threats made by subjects in custody. It is the more subtle indicators which can make the distinction between becoming prepared and being caught off guard. Phrases like “I have to get out of here” often precipitate panicked attempts to escape.
