As the nation grapples with several police killings of Black and Latino residents, police in New Haven, Connecticut, will undergo a new training to de-escalate incidents.
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said this training has been in the works for months as part of the city’s police accountability efforts. He sat in on one of the training sessions and said he learned about the importance of listening.
“Oftentimes people are struggling, they’re in a crisis moment, and one technique to deescalate is to listen to people and hear them out. And oftentimes, just being heard can release the tension in a situation,” Elicker said.
Elicker said the training costs are covered by the city’s general fund, but he’s also looking for potential grants from federal stimulus to expand more in-depth training.