Avoiding Attacks on Officers and Citizen Complaints: Clarkstown Police

Police Chief Michael Sullivan and the Clarkstown Police Department are hosting a 2-day seminar on Arresting Communications.

Avoiding both attacks on officers and citizen complaints is a key objective.

The premise of the course, police said, is that every officer needs to be educated in what they do 100 percent of the time on duty – communicate. The course looks at the profession from two perspectives: physical safety and career success. The course has three primary goals:

1. Excel within the Profession Law enforcement personnel must have effective communication skills in order to succeed in all areas of the profession. Students will learn the Truths of the Human Animal and the Principles of Interaction in order to successfully deal with victims, suspects, criminals and even fellow officers.

2. Winning on the Street The vast majority of attacks on officers begin with the communication process. To win on the street officers must be proficient at understanding the words and reading the body of those determined to do them harm. Multiple case studies and videos of actual attacks on officers will be reviewed to better detect pre-attack indicators and deceptive behavior as well as enhance their ability to de-escalate many situations.

3. Recognize and Correct Communication Weaknesses In order to build rapport and avoid citizen complaints officers must first understand what motivates people. With this understanding officers can recognize their weaknesses and immediately improve their communication styles.