De-escalation involves "taking action or communicating verbally or non-verbally during a potential force encounter in an attempt to stabilize the situation and reduce the immediacy of the threat so that more time, options, and resources can be called upon to resolve the situation without the use of force or with a reduction in the force necessary."

The "T" in CIT stands for "team", Crisis Intervention Team. People often mistakenly say that the "T" stands for training. The reason for that is CIT is more than training; it's a community program. It relies on community partnerships with law enforcement, mental health and substance use professionals, people with lived experience, and their families to improve community response to crises. One of the most important goals of a CIT Program is to improve the crisis response system. De-escalation skills are often taught in CIT, but a de-escalation training course is typically focused on enhancing law enforcement officer responses regardless of the existence of community partnerships.

De-escalation training should emphasize the sanctity of all human life, proportionality in law enforcement responses, and the priority of safety for both law enforcement officers and the public. Comprehensive training should include instruction on critical thinking and decision-making, communication skills, tactical skills, crisis recognition, relevant laws and policies, community resources, and first responder wellness.

While de-escalation tactics are not new to law enforcement, dedicated training that focuses on teaching these skills outside of a larger program (such as CIT or SWAT) has grown exponentially in the past ten years. Today's de-escalation training is often grounded in evidence and behavioral science, emphasizing real-world decision-making, crisis recognition, effective communication, and safety for all. Officers are trained through realistic scenarios rather than lectures, helping them build judgment and confidence in high-pressure situations. These programs also take a more holistic view, addressing officer wellness, community trust, and community resources. The shift isn't just in content - it's in how deeply de-escalation is woven into use of force training more broadly.

The next frontier in de-escalation training lies in accelerating experiential learning through immersive, feedback-rich environments. As many agencies face an influx of early-career officers, there's growing recognition that traditional training methods aren't enough to prepare them for the nuanced, high-stakes decisions they'll face in the field. These officers often lack the instinctual awareness that seasoned professionals develop over time - particularly the ability to detect subtle shifts in behavior that signal rising or falling tension.

To bridge that gap, training must move beyond static scenarios and into dynamic, adaptive simulations that mirror real-life complexity. By incorporating real-time feedback, guided reflection, and repeatable scenario loops, officers can begin to internalize the patterns of escalation and de-escalation much earlier in their careers. Paired with technologies like VR, AI-driven role players, or physiological stress monitoring, the future of de-escalation training will not just teach tactics - it will simulate experience. The goal is to develop not just procedural knowledge, but intuitive judgment - faster, deeper, and more effectively than ever before.

Law enforcement de-escalation training is consistently identified as a valuable tool for enhancing the safety and effectiveness of responses to individuals experiencing crisis. Policymakers should ensure that de-escalation training offered to law enforcement is informed by current research and aligns with adult learning principles. NPI will soon launch an online platform with de-escalation training curricula that have been independently vetted for alignment with research and best practices.

De-escalation is an important approach in policing that helps officers handle tense situations more safely by focusing on communication, patience, and smart decision-making. It's about slowing things down, building understanding, and finding safer ways to resolve conflicts. At the National Policing Institute (NPI), we're working to improve how de-escalation is taught and used, and to better understand its impact through research and real-world experience.

We work with police, safety experts, and researchers to create training tools, videos, and resources that help officers gain the skills they need to handle tough situations. Our goal is to support safer interactions, build trust in communities, and help officers and the public stay safe. Discover our de-escalation research, training, and tools to see how we're making a difference.