Inside RPD de-escalation training

(ABC 6 News) - The Rochester Police Department is one of few police departments to have a designated space for simulating real-life scenarios and interactions. They call it the "sim house," and it's designed to feel like a real house, restaurant or whatever the situation calls for. 

"The scenarios we're gonna use today are actual Rochester Police Department calls that have happened in the recent past where officers achieved favorable and peaceful resolutions," RPD training Lt. Paul Gronholz said. 

RPD said they are trying to prevent deadly force encounters like what happened between Derek Chauvin and George Floyd.

"When resistance ends, excessive force begins. Meaning, use as much force as you need and as soon as it's over, you stop. Because anything beyond that is excessive," Garrison Lenz, an RPD officer in training, said.  

Most of the roleplay scenarios involve how to handle threats of suicide. RPD interns take on the role of actors for these scenarios. 

"Big thing that they really stress here is the sanctity of life. Every life is sacred. We're doing what we can to make sure everybody is going home," Lenz said.  

Lenz also said they are trained on the various resources available to RPD and more generally, the goal of de-escalation, which is to slow things down.

"So with the de-escalation, we're using some other tactics like communication. We're trying to use all of the resources that we have available so that we don't have to go to those more lethal, more dangerous options," Lenz said.  

Lt. Gronholz said de-escalation only goes so far. 

"Officers shall deescalate when feasible, but it's important for people to remember de-escalation is not going to work 100 percent of the time. Officers may eventually have to use force, and we train that, too," Lt. Gronholz said.  

De-escalation training is mandatory in Minnesota, and officers have to refresh this training frequently.