Santa Cruz Sheriff’s deputies train to prevent potentially violent incidents

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office went through their de-escalation training, Wednesday. They simulated dangerous, often, life and death situations they encounter on the streets. These including domestic disturbances and standoffs. The training goes over how to properly connect and communicate with the subject to avoid force.

“It is all about communication and crisis management. The tools that they are developing today involve identifying crisis. And hopefully some of these tools can be employed prior to that violent incident occurring,” Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Dee Baldwin tells KION.

The Sheriff’s Office has responded to some of our most violent incidents this year – a stabbing at Cabrillo College, a deputy hit with a car, and a 15-hour standoff with a shooting suspect, in Aptos. Resolving the last of which, the Sheriff’s Office says, used techniques similar to the ones from Wednesday’s training.

“Time seems to help us with resolving these situations. It is part of the tactic that we are
training. It is using time to de-escalate scenarios. So that is a great example of de-escalating with time,” Sgt. Baldwin said.

Dr. Cheryl Bowers is one of a few regular citizens that tagged along. Aside from curiosity, she has a professional interest. Bowers is the President of the Monterey Bay Psychological Association. She says these exercises show how knowledgeable the Sheriff’s Office is with what to expect from people dealing with a mental crisis. But, there can always be improvements. She is brining what she learned, Wednesday, back to the association.

“(And) say this is what I see our Sheriff’s department does, and what can we do to bring more
information to them about what psychologists know,” Bowers said.

Each of the deputies had a chance to cycle through the four scenarios. They have been doing this training for a few years now, and hold this exercise a few times a year.