Despite widespread promotion and proliferation of police de-escalation training, does de-escalation training really work? Robin Engel, a prominent researcher at Ohio State University, shared her journey into police reform and de-escalation training, sparked by a fatal campus police shooting in 2015 and the Ferguson, Missouri incident. She highlights the early challenges of defining de-escalation and addressing officers’ safety concerns, which led her to test and implement ICAT (Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics) training.
This approach demonstrated measurable benefits, including reductions in the use of force (28%), citizen injuries (26%), and officer injuries (36%). Engel emphasizes the critical role of experiential learning, involving scenario-based training and decision-making models, while advocating for partnerships with researchers to improve and evaluate training programs.
Finally, she shares a personal story about how a police officer’s intervention during her childhood profoundly shaped her life, underscoring the lasting impact of officers’ decisions.
Questions for Robin
In the podcast, I asked Robin Engel about the fundamentals and effectiveness of de-escalation training, as well as her career and research on the topic. I inquired about the challenges of implementing such programs, delved into the definition of de-escalation, and explored officers’ initial concerns and hesitations about adopting these methods. I also sought her advice for police trainers on overcoming common obstacles, such as limited resources and resistance. Lastly, I asked Robin about her personal inspiration for pursuing police research, which led her to reflect on how her childhood experiences shaped her passion for reform. Robin S. Engel, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Scientist at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University and a Senior Advisor for 21st Century Policing Solutions (21CP). With over 25 years of academic experience at institutions such as the University of Cincinnati and Penn State, Dr. Engel is a nationally recognized expert in police reform and evidence-based policing practices. Her career has focused on improving police-community interactions, including the development of safer, research-informed approaches to de-escalation training and violence reduction. As the former Vice President for Safety and Reform at the University of Cincinnati, she led comprehensive reforms following a high-profile officer-involved shooting, ensuring accountability and public safety improvements. Dr. Engel has partnered with police agencies across the U.S. and internationally, serving as Principal Investigator on over 110 funded projects. Her work has garnered prestigious awards and recognition from leaders in the White House and 10 Downing Street. As a trusted authority in police science, she continues to bridge the gap between research and practice to promote safer, more effective policing strategies.
Quotes from the podcast
“The decisions that officers make every single day impact lives, and they may not know for 40-50 years down the road what that really meant to someone. When I was very young, we had a very troubled home, and it was really the decisions of a brave officer that intervened and said, ‘This is no longer a private matter,’ and changed the course of my life and that of my mother and siblings.”
“I strongly recommend whatever training you decide to do, hook up with a local researcher and test along the way. The importance of that I cannot describe to you. Because you learn not just did it work or not, but along the way, you can make corrections or modifications or emphasize particular topics more that might be getting lost in translation.”
“The most critical part of the training is the hands-on experiential learning piece where they actually practice scenarios. So, the question now becomes, can you do that through VR training? Can you simulate these? Do you need actors for roleplay? How is the best way to give that experiential learning to practice the tools and resources and everything you’re learning on day one?”
“We implemented ICAT training in Louisville, Kentucky, and we found contrary to concerns of officers that it would make them less safe, we actually found it made them more safe. In fact, it reduced the likelihood or the use of use of force 28%. It reduced citizen injuries 26%, but most important I think for really to get buy-in across the country is we found a reduction in officer injuries at 36%.”
“In 2014 in the United States, we had had a very controversial officer use of force in Ferguson, Missouri, that led to a lot of protests and of course even internationally protests about police abuse and use of force. So coming off the heels of that, there was a real big push in the United States to have de-escalation training for officers. But truly at the time, nobody even knew really what that meant. The term de-escalation was never well-defined.”
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