Denver Sheriff's Deputies 'Role Play' Training As Part Of Department Reform
DENVER (CBS4)- Denver Sheriff's deputies are participating in role playing training as part of the sweeping reform for the department after a series of high profile misconduct cases.
The goal of the Crisis Intervention Training is to find peaceful resolutions to intense situations when a situation is spinning out of control. Instead of using force, deputies are taught to find out why someone might be acting out and then diffuse the situation.
The City of Denver wants all of Denver Sheriff's deputies trained in a course that teaches them how to deescalate situations in the jail so that excessive force is not used.
In one scenario, an actor plays the role of an inmate holding a doctor hostage. On the other side of the door is a real Denver Sheriff's deputy trying to keep the situation calm and controlled.
Officer English is receiving the training after more than 25 years on the force.
In another scenario, an actor is playing a deputy in crisis with a gun. The real deputy is learning how to control the situation.
"He's getting out of control. You've got to control the situation. Right now he's controlling it," Denver Sheriff's Department Trainer Adele Angers.
"These are actual scenarios that we pulled from our operations plan, these are incidents that actually happened. These officers get the chance to deescalate these situations," said Denver Sheriff Sgt. Shayne Grannum.
After a series of high profile officer misconduct cases involving jail beatings, this training is now part of department reform, mandatory per the city.
"Some of the things going on in the Denver Sheriff's Department are really serious and we need to address those things but also there are a lot of really good people in this department, working inside these jails, in very difficult situations," said Denver Sheriff's Dept. spokesman Simon Crittle.
"A lot of officers accept this training because they realize this is not only going to help me at work but at life," said Grannum.
About half of the Denver Sheriff's Department has undergone training in their goal of 100 percent to be trained.
