So far this year, police in the U.S. have fatally shot over 900 people—more than twice the number recorded in any previous year by federal officials. Anti-brutality activists and some law enforcement leaders argue that if police were better trained to de-escalate conflict, some of those people might still be alive. Here’s a look at the new training at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, where officials are determined to produce “guardians of democracy” who serve and protect instead of “warriors” who conquer and control. Gone is the military-boot-camp atmosphere. Gone are the field exercises focused on using fists and weapons to batter suspects into submission. “If your overarching identity is ‘I’m a warrior,’ then you will approach every situation like you must conquer and win,” said Sue Rahr, the commission’s executive director. “In most situations, it’s better if officers know how to de-escalate, calm things down, slow down the action.” An interesting read.
New style of police training aims to produce “guardians,” not “warriors”
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