By John Dempsey, WLS-AM 890 News
(CHICAGO) The head of the union representing Chicago Police officers was on WLS this morning, reacting to the new training program that is designed to help officers de-escalate conflicts.
Fraternal Order of Police President Dean Angelo told “The Big John and Ray Show” on WLS, that police already know how to de-escalate encounters with members of the public, saying “You know, this de-escalation movement that the department goes through, before that it was verbal judo, before that it was talking people down or deflecting people’s intentions, so this is another tag line to call for what police officers have been doing for years.”
Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson announced the new program on Monday. It is designed alleviate tensions with the community in the wake of a series of highly publicized incidents in which
police shot citizens to death following various encounters.
The Chicago Tribune says all of about 12,500 sworn officers will undergo the two-day training within about a year, which includes drills to test their reactions and judgment.
Later this week Mayor Rahm Emanuel is set to unveil a new police accountability system.
©WLS-AM 890 News
