NCJ Number
224067
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 35 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2008 Pages: 62,64,66-70,71
Date Published
August 2008
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article describes the effectiveness of tactical communication and its importance for officers to be adept at selecting from and effectively applying various modes of communication under conditions of extreme stress.
Abstract
Verbal Judo, or tactical communication as it has come to be called, allows an officer to work effectively with individuals regardless of the kind of day he/she is having. Learning effective tactical communication begins with professionalism, or learning how to communicate better than the people served. The skill is critical to successfully gaining compliance or cooperation from subjects and in managing situations where arrest, search and seizure, or use of force is required. Good officers can communicate effectively even under tremendous stress. Tactical communication training takes a long-term approach to teach officers how to interact without getting themselves or someone else hurt. This article discusses the benefits of tactical communication in the field of law enforcement, specifically training. It addresses the effectiveness of tactical communication in the areas of special needs, mental illness, developmental or cognitive disabilities, and language barriers.