CENTRAL ILLINOIS POLICE TRAINING CENTER
Brian Fengel, Director
Phone: (309) 690-7355
Fax: (309) 690-7359
Heather Grove: hgrove@icc.edu
Diane Schrementi: ds018b@icc.edu
Robert Pyszka: rp717@icc.edu
Realistic De-Escalation Instructor Course
Instructor: Force Science Institute
May 5-6, 2026
8am – 5pm
Class will meet at: CIPTC, ICC Peoria Campus, 5407 N. University, Poplar P101, Peoria
Enrollment Deadline: May 1, 2026
Course Size: Minimum –20 Maximum – 64
COURSE OVERVIEW
Course Description and Lesson Purpose:
Law enforcement agencies have come under intense pressure in recent years to prioritize
their efforts at “de-escalation.” We will discuss the often-challenging expectations of law
enforcement professionals to gain compliance without using physical force and how
oftentimes, this may not be realistic or safe. The legitimate goal of de-escalation tactics is to
resolve problems with minimal harm. This distinction is critical.
The course will present law enforcement concepts and methods to support de-escalation
efforts. Attendees will be provided with knowledge to apply core skills of incident stabilization,
tactics, and decision-making, and verbal and non-verbal skills to establish contact, build
rapport and create influence with difficult subjects.
Learning and Training Objectives:
Participants will learn a wide variety of skills during this course, including:
- Articulate what ‘de-escalation’ actually means, what the objectives of de-escalation
are, and in what situations de-escalation can and cannot be considered
- Discuss the tactical principles of de-escalation, risk assessment, and decision-making
- Quickly evaluate an interaction to determine whether de-escalation efforts are
reasonable to consider, tactically practical, and likely to be successful
- Apply critical Force Science concepts such as the “Response-ability Zone” and the “7
T’s De-Escalation Evaluation Model” to evaluate tactics that are needed or likely to
be successful in supporting a de-escalation process
- Enhance their ability to make a connection, establish rapport and apply effective
principles of persuasion with difficult subjects, including mentally ill subjects, through
the application of the ‘Behavioral Influence Stairway Model.’
- Learn and apply the ‘Thought/Emotion/Behavior’ (TEB) Matrix to quickly recognize
whether a subject is in ‘conflict’, ‘crisis’ or has ‘contaminated’ thinking and which
strategies of persuasion are likely to be the most effective
- Employ specialized questions specifically designed to cognitively engage individuals
in crisis and increase the likelihood of resolution that either avoids force or minimizes
the amount necessary to obtain control
- Better ensure that officers’ approach and control strategies maximize their response options while minimizing the potential for unnecessary emotional and/or physical
escalation
- Balance the desirability of trying to resolve a conflict peacefully with the need to
maintain officer and public safety
- Apply principles of officer self-regulation and emotional control in order to maintain
rational thinking processes
- Recognize and list common barriers to effective communication that officers
commonly use unintentionally
- Discuss how professional de-escalation techniques embrace the concepts of ‘fair and
impartial’ and ‘rightful policing’ principles
- Integrate the content from this program to increase the breadth and effectiveness of
in-house de-escalation training programs
- Assist investigators and others reviewing uses of force to recognize the pivotal
situational and behavioral factors that must be considered when assessing whether
de-escalation efforts might have been feasible and potentially effective
- Help community members and the media better understand what realistic de-escalation
entails and the challenges that subjects may present that can inhibit, if not
prohibit, an officer’s ability to safely de-escalate.
- Be able to teach the concepts of the Azar-Dickens Police Assessment Matrix to
officers so they can determine if de-escalation strategies are appropriate and what
type of verbal and non-verbal tactics are most likely to succeed
- Be able to understand and teach the Butler 9-Tactical Questions Model approach to
assessing a situation to determine the most likely outcomes and enhance the
chances for successful resolution
Mobile In-Service Training Team#7 Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board
MTU 7 request for certification of this course has been approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board
Meets the following mandatory training criteria: Const. Use of LE Authority 1 hour: Crisis Intervention 4 hours, Human Rights .50 hours; Procedural Justice 1 hour; De-Escalation 8 hours with 4 hours Scenario Based and Officer Safety 1.50 hours
