With each passing day, tensions and crises are becoming common occurrences in our society. News media, social media, blogs, and personal discussions are escalating despair and anxiety among the public as catastrophes unfold. Law enforcement in particular is being scrutinized on how it handles these situations. Policing needs to evolve to handle modern-day crises, but what's the best method of reform?
Colonel James L. Greenstone, EdD, JD, DABECI, a current peace officer and police behavioral health specialist, believes the answer lies in thorough crisis-management and de-escalation training for police officers. Although this area of expertise is typically overlooked in police academies, Dr. Greenstone makes a hard case for it to be systematically reinforced. It's not enough for officers to respond to situations; they also need to know how to de-escalate them and also to be held accountable for ongoing standards of practice.
Filled with thought-provoking assessments and discussions on training, this vital resource defines policing principles and outlines the crisis-management and negotiation skills needed by officers to better service the public and protect themselves in the field. These detailed tools and techniques emphasize and expand on current concepts that will be invaluable to law-enforcement at all levels of service and administration.
About the Author: Colonel James L. Greenstone, EdD, JD, DABECI, has been in practice for over fifty years, and has worked over forty years in law enforcement. He was a police hostage negotiator and trainer and served as Director of Psychological Services for the Fort Worth, Texas, Police Department. Additionally, he was the operational police behavioral health specialist for the Hostage and Crisis Negotiation Team.
At the Tarrant County Precinct Four Constable's Office, Dr. Greenstone was a Deputy Constable and Director of Behavioral Health Services. Currently, he is a deputy for the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office and Editor-in- Chief of the Journal of Police Emergency Response. He is a Diplomate of the Society for Police and Criminal Psychology and a Professor in the College of Osteopathic Medicine at NOVA Southeastern University.
Greenstone's other published works include The Elements of Police Hostage and Crisis Negotiations: Critical Incidents and How to Respond to Them, The Elements of Disaster Psychology: Managing Psychosocial Trauma, and Emotional First Aid: Field Guide to Crisis Intervention and Psychological Survival.
