Wellston, MO – L.E.A.D.S. – Law Enforcement Active De-escalation Strategies 3 Day – Instructor Training

St Louis County and Municipal Police Academy Hosting Law Enforcement Active De-escalation Strategies 3 Day Instructor Training Sept. 9 – 11 2026 0830 – 1630 The award-winning L.E.A.D.S.(Law Enforcement Active De-escalation Strategies) program was developed in 2007 and has become one of the most recognized and widely implemented de-escalation training systems for law enforcement and corrections pro-fessionals throughout the United States. Unlike many contemporary de-escalation programs, L.E.A.D.S. has been field-tested and refined through nearly two decades of real-world application by street officers, dep-uties, corrections personnel, and trainers nationwide—from Honolulu to Alaska. The program emphasizes practical, measurable, and operationally sound communication and decision-making strategies designed for the realities of today’s public safety environment. Through a dynamic mix of lectures, demonstrations, role play, and scenario-based applications, students will learn to: Recognize and manage aggressive behaviors before they escalate. Employ positive communication and proven de-escalation techniques. Anger management and confrontation avoidance strategies. Emotional modulation when responding to highly emotional incidents. Discuss tactical responses when diffusion is ineffective or inappropriate. The “Switch” Moment – In high-conflict encounters, there is often a distinct moment when the subject’s behavior shifts from verbal resistance to active aggression. Recognizing this switch is a critical skill. Cognitive Lock – Officers can get “stuck” in a single tactic under stress, repeating the same ineffective commands instead of transitioning to a new approach. Articulation Matters – In litigation or review, you will not be judged solely on the fact you used force, but on whether you can clearly articulate why verbal tactics were no longer appropriate. Officers effectively de-escalate on a daily basis, however there is no evidence to validate. Officer learn to document, quantify and measure evidence to show patterns of success. Integrated Training – Strategies on how verbal, physical, and tactical options must be trained together, so the transition between them is seamless. Graduates of this program become certified to teach L.E.A.D.S. Active De-escalation Strategies, empowering their agencies with evidence-based methods that reduce negative encounters, improve officer safety, quantify conflict resolutions and strengthen community trust. Certification, Instruction Manual, Digital and Hard Copy with PowerPoints REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FBI National Associates 2022 Science and Innovation Award L.O.C.K.U.P. Arrest and Control Training & L.E.A.D.S. Law Enforcement Active De-escalation LOCATION of TRAINING: St. Louis County & Municipal Police Academy 1266 Sutter Avenue • Wellston • MO 63133 Contact – Sgt. Chris Thomson cthomson@stlouiscountymo.gov / Office (314) 889-8606