Fort Worth PD given training on de-escalating violent crime situations
Fort Worth Police got training on how to de-escalate violent crime situations.
In the wake of Officer Courtney Johnson being fired for shooting a man holding a BBQ fork, Chief Joel Fitzgerald says the training will protect officers.
"We train officers very well to handle firearms and deal with use of force situations but we need to do a better job re-enforcing the soft skills they need and having them practice those things so they're able to come into a situation without getting hurt or the person they're providing services to getting hurt," Fitzgerald said.
The officers learned techniques that can calm down encounters with the mentally-ill or those in a behavioral crisis.
Instructors from the Police Executive Research Forum led the training. The forum researches police responses to volatile situations and provides training.