Building the Evidence Base on De-escalation Training for Law Enforcement: A Multi-Agency Randomized Control Trial

The purpose of this study is to conduct a rigorous evaluation of a training curriculum created by the Law Enforcement Innovation Center (LEIC) and disseminated in four participating law enforcement agencies. Using two interrelated research designs – an interrupted time series design and a stepped wedge randomized control trial design – the research team will examine: (1) the content of the training curriculum and agency adherence to the training model in its implementation, (2) the impact of training on officer attitudes, (3) the role of organizational and supervisory support in the use of de-escalation, and (4) the impact of training on officer behavior. Multiple methods of data collection will be used to facilitate this evaluation, including officer training surveys (pre-, post-, and 4-6 months follow-up), a one-time supervisor survey, and collection of agency records of stops, citations, arrests, use of force, officer and civilian injuries, and citizen complaints. Bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses will be used to examine changes in officer attitudes and Generalized Linear Modeling (GLM) estimation via Maximum Likelihood will be used to examine the impact of the training on officer behavior.
The applicant notes that they plan to identify four agencies of sufficient size post-award to evaluate the implementation of the Applied De-escalation Tactics training as delivered by trainers who attended the LEIC train-the-trainer session. Once the agencies are identified, the UC research team will secure their participation with a signed memorandum of understanding and data sharing agreement. Additionally, the number of participants required per site needs to be specified. Note: This project contains a research and/or development component, as defined in applicable law, and complies with Part 200 Uniform Requirements - 2 CFR 200.210(a)(14). CA/NCF