1. The Negotiator
Conflict Resolution

2. Strategies & Techniques
De-Escalation
Strategies & Techniques
Sergeant Sally Panzer
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

3. Background
CIT Coordinator, Officer Wellness Program Coordinator & Crisis Negotiation Coordinator
17 year veteran of the SLMPD
14 year involvement in CIT and Crisis Negotiation
Began teaching CIT and Crisis Negotiation in 2012
MSW in clinical mental health

4. Objectives
Participants will be able to define a crisis and goals of crisis intervention.
Participants will be able to explain and use successful strategies in de-escalation.
Participants will be able to explain and use various techniques and facets of crisis de-escalation.

5. The Best De-Escalation Ever

6. Crisis

7. Understanding a Crisis
Occurs when a person is unable to cope with and adjust to the recurrent stresses of everyday living in a functional safe way.
A perception or experience of an event (stressor) as intolerable and exceeds that person’s current resources and coping mechanisms.

8. Crisis Intervention
Is an immediate and short-term psychological mediation aimed at assisting individuals in a crisis to restore them back to a state of equilibrium.
The tools and methods used to offer short term immediate help to individuals who have experienced or are experiencing a crisis that produces mental, physical, emotional and behavioural distress.

9. Why De-escalate Officer safety Consumer & Public safety
Public perception

10. The Basics Slow down Be patient Remain calm Be empathetic
Everyone has a story. They just want to be heard.
Slow down – this is not a race – people in a crisis cannot process information quickly
Be patient – the person in crisis is most likely exhibiting multiple emotions
Remain calm – if you are amped up, they will be amped up
Empathy – put yourself in their shoes

11. The Emotional Teeter Totter
Sometimes more like a roller coaster.
Emotions are running high
And controlling behaviour.
Logical mind at work

12. De-Escalation Goals Build rapport Gain their trust Reduce tension
Lower emotions
Behavioural change
Voluntary compliance

13. Techniques: Building Blocks for Behavioural Change

14. Why Do We Talk To give or get information To get information
To get someone to do something
TO BE HEARD!

15. Why do we listen? We listen to understand
We listen to obtain information
We listen to make people feel good
We listen to hear the under lying message of the speaker not just the words coming out of their mouth
People speak to be heard.

16. Active Listening Skills
Can you hear me now?

17. Open Ended Questions
Designed to encourage a full, meaningful answer using the subject’s own knowledge and/or feelings.
Gathers information.
Encourages conversation.
Buys time. And time is our friend.

18. Closed Ended Question Fact finding
Used to illicit specific information
Encourages a short response

19. Emotional Labeling Identifies persons emotions
Brings to light the persons underlying feelings
Allows a person to accept their emotions
Let’s them know you are hearing them
Provides validation
Examples:
I see you are very sad
I can hear you are angry
I can tell by the sound of your voice you are terribly angry

20. Compare and Contrast Paraphrasing Summarizing
Repeating back short parts of what the person just said, but in your own words
Allows for clarification
Demonstrates understanding
Extended version of paraphrasing
Allows for clarification
Acknowledges a persons emotions
Reinforces that you are hearing their story

21. “I” Messages Humanize or personalizes the officer
Allows for deflection if person in crisis lashes out at you
Provides a ‘timeout’ or reality check for the other person letting them know you are trying to work together

22. Minimal Encouragers & Pausing
Subtle encouraging to keep the person talking
They are verbal and non- verbal cues that help us further rapport building
Head nod, “Uh huh”, “Go on”, “hmmm”
Used in a meaningful way to calm the other person Creates the opportunity for the other person to respond Slows the conversation down Allows both parties to gather their thoughts

23. Reflecting/Mirroring
Shorter option than paraphrasing and only repeats the last few words of what the other person said
Provides validation
Lets the consumer know you’ve heard them

24. The Subtle Art of Phrasing
What we say is just as important as how we say it!
The Subtle Art of Phrasing
Active listening is the stealth weapon of negotiation.

25. Influencing Behavioural Change
Active listening is the foundation for each step.

26. What Active Listening is NOT
Judgment
Persuasion
Advice
Your ethics or values
What you would do

27. Active Listening: Do or do not there is no try
Do’s
Don’ts
Maintain eye contact
Limit your talking
Manage your emotions*
Focus on speaker
Ask questions
Use empathy
Validate
Interrupt
Jump to conclusions
Show signs of impatience
Judge
Argue
Become defensive
Project your values & ethics

28. Summary Remember the basics Remember the tools of active listening
Phrasing is everything
Remember your do’s and don’ts

29. Words to remember!
J.K. Rowling

30. Contact
Sgt. Sally Panzer