Title
De-Escalation Training and Less Lethal Program Expansion
Description
This report provides the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee an update on the Phoenix Police Department's de-escalation training and less lethal program expansion.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION.
Report
Summary
ICAT De-Escalation Training
The Phoenix Police Department is in the process of implementing a nationally recognized training developed by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). The training, known as ICAT (Integrating Communications, Assessment and Tactics), is a scenario-based training for times when officers encounter volatile situations with erratic and potentially dangerous subjects who are not armed with a gun. The ICAT training involves teaching officers the necessary skills to address cases where officers may have otherwise used lethal force when the subject was either unarmed or armed with a knife, or other weapon, but not a firearm. In some of these cases, the individuals involved could be experiencing a mental or behavioral health crisis.
The training includes scenario analysis and employs a critical decision-making model that the department must implement, train, and rehearse. The Police Department has begun adopting this model and has identified and trained 14 instructors within the department who will lead the teaching and implementation of this program. The instructors began rolling out this training to all precincts in April 2023.
Less-Lethal Program Expansion
The Police Department conducted a pilot program from October of 2021 through December of 2021 related to two less lethal systems which provided officers the opportunity to gain time, distance, and/or cover in dealing with potential violent encounters. These two less lethal systems include the Pepperball system and the 40mm projectile platform. Prior to the launch of the program, police staff met with a diverse group of City residents to preview the proposed less lethal options and address any issues or concerns. After the initial meeting, the citizen group endorsed the pilot program and asked for feedback when the programs concluded in the Mountain View and Cactus Park precincts.
In February of 2022, the community group was presented with data from the pilot that included total number of deployments and discharges. Additionally, the group was presented with the body worn camera videos of several encounters that illustrated the de-escalation of critical incidents which concluded with the successful completion of an incident with minimal force required. The community group endorsed expanding the program throughout the rest of the Police Department. The program was presented to the City Council Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee in June of 2022.
Currently, we have 101 Pepperball systems and 56 40mm projectile platforms being used by patrol officers. In December of 2022, City Council authorized the purchase of 200 additional Pepperball systems and 200 40mm platforms. We have received partial shipments of those orders and, once completely received, we will begin training additional patrol officers on the systems for deployment in their respective precincts.
These tools are part of the plan published by Interim Chief Sullivan in Nov. 2022 to provide skills and options to officers aimed at successfully and safely defusing a range of critical incidents. His four-pronged plan includes:
- Reinforced patrol briefing training on time, distance, and cover
- Arranging for national best practice scenario-based training on de-escalation
- Reviewing the Department's Use of Force policy
- Expanding the Department's less lethal program
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
- The Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee heard an update on this item on June 8, 2022.
- The City Council approved the purchase of additional less lethal systems on Dec. 14, 2022.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Lori Bays and the Police Department.