Bias and sensitivity training. Promote equitable treatment of all community members by addressing unconscious biases and sensitivities to race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and other cultural demographics.   

Community-police engagement. Train officers in community engagement throughout academy and in-service trainings, including how to actively participate in community-led events; engage in productive dialogue; and collaborate in joint problem-solving efforts with community members to identify and implement meaningful solutions. Incorporate community-police engagement as a key component of the agency’s operational philosophy in mission statements, strategic plans, and leadership development training programs.

Community policing strategies. Provide training on strategies that promote partnership and collaboration with the community, prioritize relationship building, engage community members in non-enforcement contexts, and work together to solve local problems.  

Cultural competency and humility. Educate officers about the cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds of people within the communities they serve. This training content can help officers better understand and appreciate diverse perspectives and customs, reduce biases, and prevent misunderstandings or misinterpretations.  

De-escalation techniques. Train officers on effective ways to defuse potentially volatile situations peacefully. Examples include communication strategies, conflict management skills, and negotiation techniques to reduce the need to use force.  

Ethics and integrity training. Reinforce the importance of ethical behavior and integrity in all aspects of policing including adherence to laws, departmental policies, and to the highest professional standards. Including training on an officer’s duty to intervene to prevent or stop wrongdoing by another officer. 

Mental health and crisis intervention training. Educate officers on how to recognize and interact with individuals experiencing mental health crises or substance use issues. This training often involves collaboration with mental health professionals.  

Procedural justice training. Teach officers the principles of procedural justice, which emphasize fairness in processes, transparency in actions, opportunities for voice, and impartiality in decision making.