Coming Soon
Expected availability announced soon
This course is in active development. Preview the scope below and create a free account to be notified the moment it goes live.
Continuing Education
Coming Soon
CE Use of Force De Escalation
Officers and corrections staff learn the legal framework, force continuum, de‑escalation tactics, crisis intervention, and mental‑health response, gaining practical skills to apply standards and document incidents accurately.
Who Should Take This
This course targets sworn police officers, deputy sheriffs, and correctional officers who have completed basic use‑of‑force training and now require advanced, scenario‑based education. Participants seek to sharpen decision‑making, safely de‑escalate volatile situations, and accurately record encounters to meet departmental and legal accountability standards.
What's Included in AccelaStudy® AI
Adaptive Knowledge Graph
Practice Questions
Lesson Modules
Console Simulator Labs
Exam Tips & Strategy
20 Activity Formats
Course Outline
62 learning goals
1
Use of Force Legal Framework
2 topics
Constitutional standards
- Identify the Fourth Amendment reasonableness standard as the constitutional basis for evaluating law enforcement use of force under Graham v. Connor.
- Describe the three factors of the Graham v. Connor analysis: severity of the crime, whether the suspect poses an immediate threat, and whether the suspect is actively resisting.
- Explain the totality of the circumstances analysis including pre-seizure conduct, officer perception, and the requirement to evaluate reasonableness from the officer's perspective.
- Describe the Tennessee v. Garner standard for deadly force including the fleeing felon rule, significant threat of death or serious bodily injury, and warning requirements.
- Analyze use of force scenarios to determine whether the force used was objectively reasonable under the Graham v. Connor framework.
Agency policy and liability
- Identify the elements of a comprehensive use of force policy including authorized force levels, prohibited techniques, reporting requirements, and review procedures.
- Describe the liability exposure for officers and agencies from excessive force including Section 1983 claims, qualified immunity, and Monell liability for policy failures.
- Analyze whether agency use of force policies meet current legal standards and professional best practices including proportionality, necessity, and de-escalation requirements.
- Synthesize recommendations for updating a use of force policy incorporating current case law, professional standards, de-escalation mandates, and accountability mechanisms.
2
Use of Force Continuum
1 topic
Force options and decision-making
- Identify the levels of the use of force continuum including officer presence, verbal commands, soft physical control, hard physical control, intermediate weapons, and deadly force.
- Describe the factors that guide force level selection including subject behavior, environmental conditions, officer capabilities, and the availability of backup.
- Explain the concept of proportional response and the requirement to use the minimum force necessary to control a situation while maintaining officer and public safety.
- Analyze dynamic encounter scenarios to determine the appropriate force level considering escalation and de-escalation factors as the situation evolves.
3
De-Escalation Techniques
1 topic
Verbal and tactical de-escalation
- Identify the core de-escalation strategies including verbal communication, active listening, empathy statements, tactical repositioning, and time and distance management.
- Describe effective verbal de-escalation techniques including calm tone, simple language, open-ended questions, and avoiding commands that escalate confrontation.
- Explain tactical de-escalation methods including creating physical distance, moving to safer positions, slowing the pace of the encounter, and requesting additional resources.
- Describe the barriers to effective de-escalation including personal stress responses, implicit bias, communication failures, and situational factors that limit options.
- Analyze volatile encounter scenarios to select and apply appropriate de-escalation techniques while maintaining safety for officers, subjects, and bystanders.
- Synthesize a de-escalation training program addressing verbal techniques, scenario-based exercises, cultural competency, and performance evaluation criteria.
4
Crisis Intervention
1 topic
CIT training and mental health response
- Identify the core components of Crisis Intervention Team training including mental illness recognition, crisis communication, de-escalation, and community resource coordination.
- Describe the signs and symptoms of common mental health conditions encountered by officers including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and substance-induced psychosis.
- Explain the CIT intervention model including assessment, communication strategies, safety considerations, and the decision framework for diversion versus arrest.
- Analyze mental health crisis encounters to determine appropriate intervention strategies considering safety risks, available resources, and diversion opportunities.
- Synthesize a crisis intervention response protocol incorporating mental health assessment, de-escalation procedures, and coordination with community mental health services.
5
Mental Health Crisis Response
1 topic
Recognizing and responding to mental health crises
- Identify behavioral indicators of active psychosis including hallucinations, delusions, disorganized speech, and agitation that may affect encounter safety.
- Describe the indicators of suicidal crisis including verbal cues, behavioral warning signs, access to means, and the assessment factors for imminent risk.
- Explain the considerations when encountering individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities including communication adaptations, behavior interpretation, and caregiver involvement.
- Analyze crisis situations involving individuals with mental illness or substance use to determine appropriate force alternatives, communication strategies, and diversion options.
6
Body-Worn Cameras
1 topic
BWC policies and procedures
- Identify the key components of body-worn camera policies including activation requirements, mandatory recording situations, and discretionary recording guidance.
- Describe the evidence management procedures for BWC footage including chain of custody, storage requirements, retention periods, and access restrictions.
- Explain the privacy considerations in BWC deployment including recording in private spaces, victim and witness protections, and public records request protocols.
- Analyze BWC footage review policies to determine appropriate access for supervisory review, internal affairs investigations, and pre-statement report writing.
7
Force Documentation and Review
1 topic
Reporting and investigation
- Identify the required elements of a use of force report including force type, subject behavior, justification, injuries, and medical treatment provided.
- Describe the supervisory review process for use of force incidents including response to scene, witness identification, evidence collection, and preliminary assessment.
- Explain the administrative investigation process for use of force incidents including investigation standards, officer statements, and findings classifications.
- Analyze use of force statistical data to identify patterns, trends, and potential training needs across an agency's force encounters.
- Synthesize a use of force review system incorporating incident reporting, supervisory review, trend analysis, and early warning indicators for intervention.
8
Duty to Intervene
1 topic
Intervention obligations
- Identify the elements of duty to intervene policies including the obligation to stop excessive force, reporting requirements, and protection from retaliation.
- Describe the practical methods for intervening when witnessing excessive force including verbal intervention, physical intervention, and immediate supervisor notification.
- Explain the consequences for officers who fail to intervene including administrative discipline, criminal liability, and civil liability for failing to prevent constitutional violations.
- Analyze scenarios involving potential excessive force to determine when intervention is required and the most effective intervention method for the situation.
9
Less-Lethal Force Options
1 topic
Less-lethal weapons and techniques
- Identify the less-lethal force options available to officers including conducted energy devices, impact munitions, oleoresin capsicum spray, and control holds.
- Describe the application criteria and medical considerations for conducted energy device deployment including target zones, prohibited uses, and post-deployment medical evaluation.
- Explain the deployment criteria for chemical agents including OC spray, CS gas, and the medical considerations for subjects with respiratory conditions or excited delirium.
- Analyze encounter scenarios to select the most appropriate less-lethal option considering subject behavior, environmental factors, and the risk of injury to all parties.
10
Post-Use-of-Force Procedures
1 topic
Medical and administrative requirements
- Identify the immediate post-force requirements including medical assessment, medical treatment, scene preservation, and notification of supervision.
- Describe the critical incident debriefing process including tactical debrief, stress management, peer support, and employee assistance program referrals.
- Explain the parallel administrative and criminal investigation processes following serious use of force incidents including compelled statements, Garrity protections, and separation protocols.
- Synthesize a critical incident response protocol addressing scene management, medical care, investigation initiation, officer support, and community communication.
11
Implicit Bias and Force Decisions
1 topic
Bias awareness in force encounters
- Identify the role of implicit bias in use of force decisions including threat perception disparities, response time differences, and unconscious stereotyping.
- Describe the research on racial disparities in use of force including disproportionate force rates, civilian complaint patterns, and community trust impacts.
- Explain strategies for mitigating implicit bias in force encounters including decision-making frameworks, slowing the encounter, and deliberate assessment techniques.
- Analyze force encounter scenarios to identify potential bias influences on threat assessment and force selection decisions.
- Synthesize an implicit bias training component for use of force programs incorporating scenario exercises, decision-point analysis, and self-awareness techniques.
12
Community Relations and Use of Force
1 topic
Community trust and transparency
- Identify the impact of use of force incidents on community trust including public perception, protest responses, and the erosion of police legitimacy.
- Describe transparency measures for use of force incidents including public reporting, community review boards, critical incident briefings, and data publication.
- Explain the role of independent oversight in use of force accountability including civilian review boards, monitors, and consent decree requirements.
- Synthesize a community engagement strategy for building trust through use of force transparency, accountability, and collaborative policy development.
13
Special Populations and Force Considerations
1 topic
Force considerations for vulnerable populations
- Identify the special considerations for use of force involving juveniles, elderly individuals, pregnant women, and persons with physical disabilities.
- Describe the modified force considerations for encounters with individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have limited English proficiency.
- Explain the heightened scrutiny applied to force used against individuals in custodial settings including the Eighth Amendment deliberate indifference standard.
- Analyze force encounters involving special populations to determine whether the force used was appropriate given the individual's vulnerability and the totality of circumstances.
Scope
Included Topics
- Use of force continuum models including verbal commands, soft techniques, hard techniques, intermediate weapons, and deadly force with escalation and de-escalation decision points.
- Graham v. Connor objective reasonableness standard including the totality of circumstances analysis, severity of the crime, immediate threat assessment, and active resistance evaluation.
- De-escalation techniques including verbal strategies, tactical repositioning, time and distance, active listening, and crisis communication for reducing volatile encounters.
- Crisis Intervention Team training including mental health crisis recognition, intervention techniques, diversion strategies, and coordination with mental health professionals.
- Mental health crisis response including psychotic episode indicators, suicidal behavior recognition, intellectual disability awareness, and appropriate intervention strategies.
- Body-worn camera policies including activation requirements, recording discretion, evidence preservation, public release protocols, and privacy considerations.
- Force documentation requirements including use of force reports, supervisor review procedures, force investigation protocols, and statistical tracking for pattern analysis.
- Duty to intervene policies requiring officers to intervene when witnessing excessive force by fellow officers including reporting obligations and protection from retaliation.
- Less-lethal force options including conducted energy devices, impact munitions, chemical agents, and restraint techniques with their application criteria and medical considerations.
- Post-use-of-force procedures including medical attention requirements, administrative review, criminal investigation protocols, and critical incident debriefing.
Not Covered
- Detailed criminal law, criminal procedure, or constitutional law analysis beyond use of force legal standards and Fourth Amendment reasonableness.
- Firearms qualification, marksmanship training, or weapons maintenance beyond force decision-making frameworks.
- Patrol tactics, traffic stop procedures, or investigative techniques beyond de-escalation and force decision contexts.
- Correctional facility security operations, prison management, or inmate classification beyond use of force in corrections.
- Civil litigation defense, qualified immunity analysis, or Section 1983 damages beyond officer awareness of liability standards.
CE Use of Force De Escalation is coming soon
Adaptive learning that maps your knowledge and closes your gaps.
Create Free Account to Be Notified