De-escalation Technique #1

Clear Directives

Providing specific, actionable commands that leave no ambiguity about what compliance looks like. One officer, one voice, one clear instruction at a time.

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3 Best Practice Examples

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3 Improvement Examples

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NYPD Patrol Guide Reference

Verbal Commands & Tactical Communication (PG 221-01)

"Members of the service should issue verbal commands in a clear, calm, and professional manner. Commands should be specific and direct, allowing the subject sufficient time to comply before escalating the level of force."

Source: NYPD Patrol Guide, Force Guidelines

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Specificity: Commands should tell the subject exactly what to do, not just what not to do. "Put your hands on your head" is clearer than "Don't move."

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One Voice: When multiple officers are present, one should take command voice to prevent conflicting instructions.

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Processing Time: Allow reasonable time for the subject to hear, understand, and physically comply before repeating or escalating.

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Best Practice Examples

These clips demonstrate officers giving clear, specific instructions that subjects can actually follow.

Best Practice

Specific Hand Placement Instructions

52 sec

Transcript

"Keep your hands in front of you. Ishmael, you gotta show me both. You gotta show me both of your hands, Ish."

✓ Specific body positioning ("hands in front of you")

✓ Uses subject's name to personalize and get attention

✓ Quantifies the request ("both of your hands")

✓ Calm tone despite high-stakes situation

kent_edwards__officer_brower.mp4 | 1:08 - 2:00

Best Practice

Simple, Achievable First Step

39 sec

Transcript

"Gene. About the reports. What's up? Just open the door. We gotta talk. Just open the door and talk. We gotta tell you what to do."

✓ Starts with a simple, low-barrier request ("Just open the door")

✓ Uses first name to establish connection

✓ Frames it as dialogue ("We gotta talk")

✓ Conversational tone reduces perceived threat

geoffrey_parris__officer_ponce.mp4 | 1:08 - 1:47

Best Practice

Step-by-Step Compliance Path

58 sec

Transcript

"All you need to do is stand right there. I'll walk you... We're not gonna kill you. I promise. Ishmael, we're not gonna kill you."

✓ Breaks compliance into smallest possible step ("just stand right there")

✓ Offers assistance ("I'll walk you")

✓ Combines directive with reassurance

✓ Shows patience despite extended encounter

kent_edwards__officer_brower.mp4 | 2:35 - 3:33

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Opportunities for Improvement

These clips show situations where clearer, more specific directives could have improved compliance. Note: These are high-stress armed encounters where urgency is justified, but communication techniques could still be optimized.

Needs Improvement

Repetitive Commands Without Variation

29 sec

Transcript

"Put the knife down! Put the knife down! Put the knife down! Put the knife down, sir! Sir, put the fucking knife down! Put the fucking knife down!"

✗ Same command repeated 10+ times identically

✗ No specificity about WHERE to put it down

✗ Escalating volume/profanity without new information

✗ If command isn't working, repetition won't change that

king_wong__officer_acosta.mp4 | 1:15 - 1:44

Needs Improvement

Multiple Conflicting Commands

39 sec

Transcript

"Get on the fucking ground right now! Get on the fucking ground! Yo! Get on the fucking ground right now! Get on the ground! Put the fucking knife down!"

✗ Conflicting commands: "Get on the ground" vs "Put the knife down"

✗ Subject can't do both simultaneously - which first?

✗ Multiple officers may be yelling different commands

✗ No pause between commands for compliance

king_wong__officer_lamonica.mp4 | 1:46 - 2:25

Needs Improvement

High Intensity Without Specificity

33 sec

Transcript

"Get on the fucking ground right now! Get on the fucking ground! Put the fucking knife down! Put the fucking knife down!"

✗ "Get on the ground" - face down? On knees? On back?

✗ "Put the knife down" - where? At their feet? Away from them?

✗ Subject may not know how to comply even if they want to

✗ High volume may impair subject's ability to process

king_wong__officer_coissy.mp4 | 1:45 - 2:18

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How These Situations Could Be Improved

Transforming Vague Commands into Clear Directives

Instead of Saying...

"Put the knife down!" (repeated)

"Get on the ground!"

"Don't move!" / "Put the knife down!" (conflicting)

"Drop it! Drop it! Drop it!"

Try Being More Specific...

"Set the knife on the floor in front of you. Set it down flat."

"Get on your knees first. Then put your hands on your head."

"First: set the knife on the ground. Then: step back three steps."

"Toss it to your left, away from you. Underhand toss. Away from both of us."

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Key Takeaways

🎯 Be Specific

"Put the knife on the ground in front of you" is clearer than "Put it down." The subject knows exactly what compliance looks like.

🔢 Sequence Your Commands

Give one instruction at a time. "First, set the knife down. Second, step back." Don't ask for multiple things simultaneously.

📣 One Voice

When multiple officers are present, designate one command voice. Multiple people yelling different things creates confusion and conflict.

⏱ Allow Processing Time

After giving a command, pause 3-5 seconds before repeating. Rapid-fire commands don't allow time for the brain to process and the body to comply.

🔄 Vary If Not Working

If the same command hasn't worked after 3 repetitions, try different wording. Repeating louder doesn't add new information.

👥 Use Names

When you know the subject's name, use it. "John, put your hands up" gets attention better than "Sir, hands up."

Discussion Questions for Training Sessions

In the "best practice" clips, how does specificity change the subject's ability to comply?

When two officers are giving different commands, how should they coordinate? Who takes lead?

What's the difference between "commanding presence" and "yelling louder"?

If "put the knife down" isn't working, what alternative phrasing might you try?

How much time should you give between commands before repeating? What factors affect this?

When is it appropriate to use profanity in commands? Does it help or hurt compliance?