U of T expert helping Peel Regional Police implement science-based, use-of-force training

Her method is already part of standard police training in Finland. Now, Peel Regional Police will also benefit from this U of T expert's research. 

Judith Andersen, an assistant professor in the U of T Mississauga department of psychology and Mississauga Academy of Medicine, is collaborating with Peel Regional Police to implement science-based, use-of-force training that will help officers control stress and hone their split-second decisions.

The partnership was announced March 21 at Peel Regional Police headquarters in Brampton.

Andersen has been working with police organizations in Europe, the United States and Canada, testing techniques with police recruits, front-line officers and tactical teams for three years. Her method is now part of standard training for police officers in Finland.

“Use-of-force decisions during critical incidents are an ongoing source of concern for both police and the public,” says Andersen, who is the lead developer of the International Performance Resilience and Efficiency Program (iPREP).

“Using our unique training method to complement Peel’s existing use-of-force instruction, we hope to show that teaching police officers methods of physiological stress control can assist with decisions in the field.”

Police officers can find themselves in unpredictable, challenging and stressful situations, with only their gear and training to protect the public and themselves and there is a growing demand for evidence-based de-escalation and use-of-force instruction. Research has shown that extreme increases in stress hormones such as cortisol can lead to sensory distortion, cognitive difficulties, panic and judgment lapses.

Extreme physiological responses can affect an officer’s ability to respond appropriately, potentially putting the safety of the officer and the general public at risk.

“Police officers regularly encounter unpredictable and stressful situations,” says Peel Regional Police chief Jennifer Evans. “Peel Regional Police wants to ensure that we are using the most progressive, science-based techniques to prepare our officers for situations they face, and to create a safer community for everyone.”

The iPREP program measures and analyzes an officer’s sensory nervous-system readings during highly realistic police training sessions, which simulate events like hostage takings, school shootings and calls to assist distressed or potentially violent persons. Scenarios include the types of stimuli that add to stress, such as loud crowds, poor lighting and the need to make critical decisions under time pressure.

Each officer receives instruction from expert trainers. Instruction is tailored to the officer’s individual stress responses and is delivered in a manner that maximizes learning and retention.

Incorporating the latest developments in physiological monitoring and the neurobiology of learning, the iPREP program is desgined provide police with comprehensive, personalized de-escalation and use-of-force training. The program is under review for accreditation by U of T’s Faculty of Medicine and is expected to be widely available to use-of-force trainers by the summer of 2016.

IPREP methodology has been shown to be effective for tactical forces. Andersen’s work with Peel Regional Police will involve a randomized, controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of her training program in helping front-line officers improve their physiological control and situational awareness. The ultimate goal is improving outcomes in real-world critical incidents.