Operational Updates
Procedural Justice and De-Escalation Training Through the City’s involvement with the National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice, the department is providing training to all officers. The mission of the National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice is to improve relationships and increase trust between communities and the criminal justice system. In 2017, there were five dedicated FWPD staff teaching National Initiative classes and providing information to the community. Procedural Justice I training was completed department-wide in 2016, and Procedural Justice II training was completed in June 2017. Additionally in 2017, more than 900 officers completed Procedural Justice III training. The remaining officers are scheduled to complete the class in 2018. The Procedural Justice Unit also engages with the community by attending community events and forums on a regular basis including several back to school events, Ethical Behavior Summit, Clergy and Police Alliance events, and CommUnity Frontline. All officers in the department also received de-escalation training in 2017. Police Executive Research Forum trainers provided the intensive, eight-hour Integration Communications, Assessment, and Tactics (ICAT) training course. The training included hands-on tools for officers to learn different approaches to de-escalate tense situations. The ICAT course is designed to assist officers with safe and professional resolutions to critical incidents that involve unarmed individuals who may pose a danger to themselves and others. The primary goals of the course are reducing the use of deadly force, upholding the sanctity of life, building community trust, and promoting public safety by learning skills and strategies related to decision making, crisis recognition, tactical communications, and safety tactics.
De-Escalation Training
New Mental Health Crisis Intervention Team The Mental Health Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) was established on September 1 and consists of six specially trained and Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) certified Mental Health Peace Officers. Each officer is assigned a patrol division and is under the direction of two Corporal/Detectives (Team Leaders) and a Sergeant. The primary purpose of the team is to reduce the hazards associated with interactions between law enforcement and people with mental illness, to proactively engage those with mental illness that pose a threat to the community as a whole, and to connect those with mental illness with support services as appropriate. The secondary purpose of the CIT is to reduce return calls for service related to mental health, ultimately freeing patrol officers to provide additional service to the community.
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