Do de-escalation techniques work? Examining technique use and efficacy in scenario-based police training

This study examines the use and efficacy of de-escalation techniques by police officers within scenario-based training. We assess the impact of 10 individual techniques on de-escalation outcomes at situational, civilian, and officer levels. By focusing on the use and efficacy of the techniques in two different high-risk scenarios, we also investigate the context-specific nature of de-escalation. Results show that all techniques were utilized in both scenarios. All three levels of de-escalation outcome scores differed between scenarios. So did the frequency of use for seven (out of the 10) techniques. However, evidence for the efficacy of the individual techniques remains limited, as only the ‘offer help’ technique yielded significant associations with the officer level de-escalation outcome. Rather than viewing de-escalation as a one-size-fits-all skill set, these results highlight its context-specific and complex nature. We offer implications for training, and directions for future research to expand our understanding of what works in de-escalating.