The sacred trust between police and public has never been more strained. Between dangerous criminals, mental illness, political scrutiny, police corruption, racial profiling and riots, the police are held to a high standard they cannot sometimes keep. Good cops carry the greatest burden due to coverups and corrupt officers. Calls involving those with mental defects or drug addictions can turn violent and fatal fast. Besides reducing corruption, policing needs to return to better relationships with the public and also ensure officers are trained in de-escalation and not fatal tactics with others. Crisis Intervention Training is key for this to be successful.

In unison though, respect of police and proper reactions to officer safety is key. Individuals need to know their rights but they must also work with the police to ensure safety and open lines of communication. Unfortunately, sometimes profiling or bad police officers can make this difficult but it is still critical to de-escalate a bad officer in the moment and live later to find justice than be shot.

Please also review AIHCP’s Crisis Intervention Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification