De-escalation Techniques

De-escalation Techniques

De-escalation helps keep everyone safe during tense situations. These techniques apply whether you’re observing enforcement or supporting community members.

Core Principles

1. Your Calm Affects Others

When you’re calm:

• Community members feel safer
• Situations are less likely to escalate
• You think more clearly
• Your documentation is better

When you’re anxious:

• It spreads to others
• Decision-making suffers
• Mistakes are more likely
• Situations can escalate

2. Safety First

De-escalation is NOT about:

• Changing officers’ behavior
• Convincing anyone of anything
• Being passive

De-escalation IS about:

• Keeping yourself safe
• Keeping community members safe
• Maintaining effective observation
• Making the best of a difficult situation

3. You Can’t Control Others

You can only control:

• Your own behavior
• Your own responses
• Your own positioning
• Your own communication

Personal Regulation

Breathing Techniques

Box Breathing:

1. Inhale for 4 counts
2. Hold for 4 counts
3. Exhale for 4 counts
4. Hold for 4 counts
5. Repeat

Practice this before you need it.

Quick Calm:

• Take 3 deep breaths
• Exhale slowly
• Drop your shoulders
• Unclench your jaw

Body Awareness

Signs you’re escalating:

• Tight shoulders
• Clenched jaw
• Rapid breathing
• Racing heart
• Tunnel vision
• Hot face

When you notice these:

1. Acknowledge it
2. Breathe
3. Move if you need to
4. It’s okay to step back

Mental Techniques

Ground yourself:

• Name 5 things you can see
• Name 4 things you can touch
• Name 3 things you can hear
• Name 2 things you can smell
• Name 1 thing you can taste

Remember your purpose:

• “I’m here to observe and document”
• “My job is to stay safe”
• “I can’t help if I’m detained”

Verbal De-escalation

With Agitated Community Members

Listen first:

• Let them express fear/anger
• Don’t interrupt
• Nod to show you hear them

Validate without escalating:

“I understand you’re scared. That makes sense.” “This is a frightening situation.” “You’re not alone.”

Provide simple information:

“Right now, the safest thing is to stay inside.” “We’re documenting what’s happening.” “Here’s what I know: [simple facts only].”

Don’t:

• Make promises you can’t keep
• Speculate about what might happen
• Share information you’re not sure about
• Get pulled into their panic

With Family Members

Be calm and direct:

“I’m here to help. Here’s what we know.” “Let’s focus on what we can do right now.” “Do you have a lawyer? Let’s call them.”

Help them focus:

• One step at a time
• Concrete actions
• Who to call
• What to do for children

If Someone Wants to Intervene

If a community member wants to confront agents:

Acknowledge their feelings:

“I understand you want to help. That instinct makes sense.”

Explain the risk:

“If you interfere, you could be arrested and wouldn’t be able to help at all.”

Redirect their energy:

“The best thing you can do right now is [document/call family/stay safe].”

Body Language

Non-threatening Posture

• Keep hands visible
• Stand at an angle (not square-on)
• Maintain comfortable distance
• Relax your shoulders
• Keep facial expression neutral

Distance

• Don’t approach too closely
• Give people space
• Back away if tension rises
• Respect personal space

Movement

• Move slowly and deliberately
• Announce if you need to move
• Don’t make sudden movements
• Keep movements visible

Situation-Specific Techniques

When Observing Enforcement

Stay back:

• Don’t crowd the scene
• Observe from a distance
• Have a clear exit route

Stay neutral:

• Don’t shout at officers
• Don’t argue with officers
• Don’t make commentary out loud

Stay focused:

• Document, document, document
• Stay alert to changes
• Communicate with your team

When Officers Approach You

Stay calm:

• Don’t run
• Don’t argue
• Keep hands visible

Be clear but not confrontational:

“I’m observing from a public space. I’m not interfering.”

Know when to move:

• If told to move back, move back
• You can continue observing from farther away
• Don’t die on small hills

When Emotions Run High

If you’re getting emotional:

• It’s okay to step back
• Ask a teammate to take over
• Take care of yourself

If a teammate is struggling:

• Check in quietly
• Offer to take over
• Don’t shame them

Red Flags: When to Leave

Signs of Escalation

• Agents becoming more aggressive
• Crowds forming
• Shouting increasing
• Physical contact occurring
• Weapons being drawn

Trust Your Instincts

If something feels wrong:

• It probably is
• Leave immediately
• Notify your team
• Don’t second-guess yourself

Exit Strategies

• Know your exits before you need them
• Have a meetup point planned
• Know how to communicate if you separate
• Have a backup communication method

After Stressful Events

Immediate Self-Care

• Take a break before debriefing
• Drink water
• Eat something
• Move your body (walk, stretch)

Processing

• Talk to someone you trust
• It’s normal to feel shaken
• Give yourself time
• Seek support if needed

Team Support

• Check in with each other
• Debrief together
• Share what was hard
• Acknowledge the difficulty

Practice

Scenarios to Practice

With your team:

1. Practice staying calm while someone yells at you (roleplay)
2. Practice your breathing techniques
3. Practice stepping back physically
4. Practice redirecting an agitated person

On your own:

1. Practice breathing before you need it
2. Notice your body’s stress signals
3. Practice grounding techniques
4. Visualize staying calm in difficult situations

Remember

• Your safety is the priority
• Calm is contagious
• You can only control yourself
• It’s okay to step back
• This work is hard - take care of yourself