MARTINSVILLE (WSLS 10) - Dozens of officers, dispatchers, and other members of law enforcement are now better able to de-escalate situations using words, decreasing the potential of having to use force.
"This training actually clumps a lot of different training into one class, so you actually get a lot of diversity," said Danville Police Officer Chris Simpkins.
The training incorporates videos of actual scenarios law enforcement officers from around the country have had to face.
Retired Police Chief Harry Dolan, who teaches the class, then talks through the encounter, explaining how using different words, tone of voice and body language could have resulted in a different outcome.
"When we see that some of the negative feelings that come from the community are more in how the officers talked than how they acted, let's talk about that," Dolan explained.
Dolan also emphasized that there is a difference between listening and simply waiting for your turn to talk and that listening is critical to verbal de-escalation.
"People, particularly when they are under the influence of anger, rage, anxiety will unwittingly tell you what their problems are," said Dolan.
Martinsville Police Officer Cody Fortner is fresh out of the academy and said he is happy to be able to have this opportunity at the beginning of his career.
"His different objectives and all that he has brought to my attention are things I think I can use in the field," said Fortner.
Simpkins said having this training gives him peace of mind.
"Being able to de-escalate a situation is paramount to an officer's career," He pointed out. "You don't want to be using unnecessary force when it's something you can talk yourself out of."
Another de-escalation class will be held February 21-22.
A community policing class will also be held on March 13.
The classes are being paid for by the Martinsville Police Department using a state grant the department received.
Some of the department's officers have received the verbal de-escalation training before and found it so beneficial that when the grant was received to offer the class again the decision was made to open it to all law enforcement agencies.
Contact the Piedmont Regional Criminal Justice Training Academy at 276-632-1149 to sign up for the classes.