De-Escalation has become an often heard law enforcement buzzword in recent years as police officers in communities across the nation look for alternatives besides simply meeting physical resistance with matched or superior resistance to solve problems. In terms of de-escalation, when tensions are at a fever pitch—and often out of control—law enforcement is generally faced with three roadmap options. Two of these can successfully incorporate components of Emotional Intelligence and hopefully contribute to starting to build and maintain community trust and safety.
Option 1 is to forge head-on into a confrontation and very quickly meet resistance with more resistance.
Option 2 allows us to filter our Impulse Control which is our ability to hold back somewhat and resist the urge to do or say something that might be the focus of regret afterwards.
Before we can include Option 3 and Gather Data, there must be willingness and ability to slow the roll, zip the lip, and step back in order not to make a volatile situation any worse. Absent a life or death decision-making situation, Impulse Control can likely be enhanced by asking one more questions in seeking to understand others. The Emotional Intelligence competency of Impulse Control is found within the broader Emotional Intelligence decision making component and is a critically essential aspect when it comes to successful law enforcement de-escalation that often leads to building and improving community trust.
Richard Conroy’s combined law enforcement and academic experience extends over four decades. Specific to law enforcement, he has served as a Director of Police at the university level, an Assistant Chief of Police at the municipal level, and a Special Agent in Charge at the state level. Prior to executive leadership positions, he worked through the law enforcement career ranks, including communications, uniformed patrol, canine, undercover operations, and criminal investigations. He is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy as well as a life member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). Rich holds a PhD in Leadership Studies, as well as a Master of Science degree in criminal justice administration. He has published in the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, The Sheriff and Deputy Magazine, and The Florida Police Chief magazine on public safety topics including emotional intelligence and crisis intervention. He has taught as a police academy faculty member, and designed recruit level, role-playing training curriculum in law enforcement. Rich has held faculty or administrative positions at four institutions of higher education. He is currently an assistant professor of criminal justice and leadership and teaches classes in crisis intervention, criminal law, organization and administration, ethics, and relational leadership/emotional intelligence. Rich is certified in the EQ-i 2.0 Emotional Intelligence and EQ-i 360 assessments.
