Title
Consider a memorandum/resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a grant agreement with the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services for the purpose of providing De-escalation instructor training to law enforcement.
Summary
DATE: March 7, 2023
TO: Kent Cagle, City Manager
FROM: Charles F. Kimble, Chief of Police
SUBJECT: De-Escalation Training Grant
BACKGROUND AND FINDINGS:
Throughout the history of policing, effective communication and the ability to restore order and calm in volatile situations has been crucial to successful law enforcement efforts. Police officers are expected to go into unpredictable situations and interact with people suffering from a variety of stressors, and all too often these situations are emotionally out of control before the police even arrive. The ability to de-escalate encounters can lower the risk of officers needing to use force to accomplish their missions, or other potentially violent outcomes.
De-escalation has been a part of mandatory new hire and intermediate level police training in Texas for many years. The Killeen Police Department has met or exceeded the minimum state standard in de-escalation training, but recognizes the need for this to be a recurring training goal for public safety employees throughout their career.
The Department applied for and was awarded a grant through the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), for $49,000. If accepted, this grant would allow the Department to host de-escalation "train-the-trainer" courses. This is a two-year certification, and would afford the Department the ability to provide recurring in-service training focused on de-escalation, at no additional cost to the City. As the largest agency in the area, we are leaders in training and we would also allow other area agencies to attend these trainer certification classes, tuition free. This would benefit the entire region, with the...
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