On Policing

With each passing day, tensions and crises are becoming common occurrences in our society. News media, social media, blogs, and personal discussions are escalating despair and anxiety among the public as catastrophes unfold. Law enforcement in particular is being scrutinized on how it handles these situations. Policing needs to evolve to handle modern-day crises, but what's the best method of reform?

Colonel James L. Greenstone, EdD, JD, DABECI, a current peace officer and police behavioral health specialist, believes the answer lies in thorough crisis-management and de-escalation training for police officers. Although this area of expertise is typically overlooked in police academies, Dr. Greenstone makes a hard case for it to be systematically reinforced. It's not enough for officers to respond to situations; they also need to know how to de-escalate them and also to be held accountable for ongoing standards of practice.

Filled with thought-provoking assessments and discussions on training, this vital resource defines policing principles and outlines the crisis-management and negotiation skills needed by officers to better service the public and protect themselves in the field. These detailed tools and techniques emphasize and expand on current concepts that will be invaluable to law-enforcement at all levels of service and administration.