Firearms and defensive tactics represent critical skills for police officers to master. If they need to resort to these tools, a situation already has become dangerous and challenging. Therefore, agencies consider these tactics training priorities and mandate officers to demonstrate continued proficiency in these areas throughout their careers.

Effective Phrases

Empathy phrases show both compassion and respect to the individual. However, officers using these phrases do not need to hold such feelings toward the person. This simply is a tactic and strategy to gain cooperation and compliance to prevent unnecessary escalations.

• I know where you are coming from.
• I understand that.
• I appreciate what you are saying.
• I see you are upset. I would be too.

When encountering angry and resistant individuals, officers can begin with a deflection phrase and explain the benefits of compliance.

• Sir, I understand where you are coming from, but if I can look at your identification, I can get you on your way a lot sooner.
• Ma’am, I see you are upset and understand that, but right now we have a warrant to take care of. Unfortunately, if you don’t comply, you will have additional charges, like resisting arrest. I’m sure you don’t want that, and I don’t wish that for you.
• Sir, I can see you are upset. I probably would be too if someone had called the police on me.

Tone of Voice

People can tell when an officer sounds authoritarian, sarcastic, or degrading. Such tones of voice likely will escalate the encounter. Certainly, officers sometimes must exert their authority and give loud, clear commands. However, when they receive only verbal resistance and face no immediate risk, a loud or authoritative tone proves unnecessary and counterproductive.

Rather, officers should take a professional, respectful, and empathetic approach. Although they have authority, officers usually do not need to flaunt it—which generally does not result in compliance anyway. President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick….”⁴

In many cases, officers’ voices hold more importance than what they say because subjects react to emotional tones before words register. To know officers are sincere, people consider their tone and nonverbal communication (e.g., body language). When officers are calm, pleasant, and reassuring during a volatile encounter, they more likely will obtain cooperation.

Focus on Actions

Officers must focus more on individuals’ actions and avoid overreacting to their words. They need to recognize when someone complies despite what they say. For instance, drivers may yell, use profanity, and complain about how unfair a vehicle stop was, yet obey by handing over their driver’s license and insurance information and accepting the citation. Or, persons arrested may display similar behavior while turning around, placing their hands behind their back, and separating their feet as requested by the officer.

With friends or family present, arrestees may try to show toughness verbally while complying physically. By not addressing such speech, officers allow arrestees to “save face” in these situations. Arrestees’ friends might say, “Man, he told that officer!” Yet, ultimately, officers prevent the situation from escalating. On the contrary, if officers respond angrily to the words and start taking down the arrestee, saving face might come in the form of resistance or attack.

As the founder of Verbal Judo, the late Doctor George Thompson said, “Say what you want, but do what I say.”⁵

Emotional Cost

Like all tactical skills, empathy and respect take practice to master. Socially skilled, assertive, and extroverted officers may find it easier than more introverted officers to communicate on duty in this way.

Nevertheless, all officers may need emotional energy to show empathy and respect to some individuals, such as those perceived as loathsome (e.g., child predators) or even just unsympathetic. Regardless of mitigating circumstances, officers probably do not feel positively toward people who have done something despicable. Thus, their outward display (e.g., body language, tone, and facial expression) often runs contrary to what they think and feel.

This dichotomy has been described as “emotional labor” and can take a toll when officers continuously act in ways contrary to their beliefs and feelings.⁶ Although beyond the scope of this article, the results of emotional labor can range from cognitive dissonance to burnout and exhaustion.⁷ To combat emotional labor, some experts have argued that police officers would benefit from “emotional regulation”⁸ and “emotional intelligence” training.⁹ Many military units (e.g., U.S. Marine Corps) have incorporated emotional regulation training focused on how to manage negative emotions that may emerge when dealing with uncooperative civilians during tactical operations.¹⁰

Organizational Commitment

Instructing police officers in tactical empathy requires an organizational commitment beyond the training itself. Once trained, agencies should hold officers responsible for performing these skills proficiently and appropriately discipline them when their performance falls below acceptable standards.

Field training officers, as well as supervisors and command staff, must demonstrate tactical empathy consistently because officers will benefit from exposure to excellent role models of this behavior. For that matter, an organizational commitment to treating people with respect should extend beyond officers’ interactions with the public and permeate interactions among department members of all ranks.

Further, when an organization commits to implementing tactical empathy, officers should have available resources to help them cope with the emotional labor that may ensue.

Conclusion

While on duty, police officers need to leave their egos at the door. By learning and practicing tactical communication skills, they more likely will get people to comply. And, if officers can avoid physical resistance or attack, both officers and citizens will be safer.

The most effective officers think of communication skills along with other strategies and tactics. As their ultimate goal, they should strive to win the battle without fighting.