Fort Hays State University’s Criminal Justice Program and University Police Department have been awarded an $800,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) to expand de-escalation training initiatives for law enforcement personnel. This award increases the amount of federal funding to facilitate advanced de-escalation training to more than $3.5 million.

This grant will enable the Central Region Training Center of the National De-escalation Training Center, housed within the Criminal Justice Program, to expand evidence-based de-escalation techniques and training programs aimed at improving officer safety, reducing use-of-force incidents, and strengthening community trust.

“The funding provided by the COPS Office is critical to equipping officers with the tools and training needed to respond to challenging situations effectively while prioritizing the safety of all parties involved,” said Dr. Tamara Lynn, Chair and Professor of Criminal Justice. “This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to enhancing community policing strategies and fostering positive relationships with the communities we serve.”

The training emphasizes traditional procedural justice, crisis intervention, and rapid personality identification through communication skills, conflict resolution, and scenario-based exercises to better prepare officers for dynamic, real-world situations. These efforts align with national goals to improve public safety outcomes while reducing unnecessary confrontations and injuries.

“Fort Hays State University has been leading the way in evidence-based de-escalation training for law enforcement,” said Dr. Morgan Steele, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice. “Through the different modalities that we offer, we have been able to teach officers the skills they need to communicate with the public more effectively without compromising their safety.”

“This training can help officers bridge the divide between their communities and the criminal justice system by fostering procedurally-just conversations. The recent grant from the COPS Office will help Fort Hays expand the reach of its trainings outside the Midwest and partner with agencies to provide de-escalation training across the U.S.”

The Central Region Training Center has trained nearly 3,000 law enforcement personnel from across the U.S. and just under 1,000 in Kansas in advanced de-escalation since receiving the first Regional De-escalation Training Center grant in 2021. The most recent award, Safer Outcomes: Enhancing De-Escalation and Crisis Response Training for Law Enforcement – Expansion of Regional De-escalation Training Centers, has positioned FHSU to develop training hubs outside of the immediate region to increase the number of law enforcement and emergency personnel trained in de-escalation.

“The funding from this new grant, awarded to FHSU from the COPS Office, will be utilized to provide valuable evidence-based de-escalation training to law enforcement officers across the Central Region,” said Chief Terry Pierce, FHSU Director of Police and Security. “FHSU will continue to provide law enforcement agencies with training that can improve the safety of the officers and the public.”

The COPS Office has long been a leader in advancing community policing and officer training across the United States. Through grants like this, law enforcement agencies are provided the resources necessary to innovate and implement strategies that improve both officer and public safety.