PEER INTERVENTION PROGRAM PEER INTERVENTION TRAINING New Orleans

PEER INTERVENTION PROGRAM PEER INTERVENTION TRAINING New Orleans Police Department 2016

EPIC is the New Orleans Police Department’s groundbreaking Peer Intervention training program designed by NOPD for NOPD. The program is heavily based in the science of active bystandership and peer intervention with built-in procedural incentives for every member of the Department.

EPIC capitalizes on our numbers; all members of the NOPD serve as the first line of defense in preventing mistakes and misconduct, promoting mental health, and fostering a professional work environment. Authorizes and empowers us to intervene in another officer’s actions, regardless of his/her rank. Teaches us how to intervene successfully. Protects us when we do intervene.

Internal Affairs program Discipline program IS NOT Mediation program “Tell on your partner” program. EPIC was designed specifically to avoid these scenarios

FOUNDATIONS OF EPIC ØEPIC is founded on the principle that good police officers want to do the right thing, but even officers with the best intentions sometimes lack the tools and moral courage to intervene effectively, safely, and without repercussion, when faced with potential police misconduct. ØMost officers, at some point in their career, will find themselves caught between two very unsatisfactory choices, or simply frustrated to the point of making a bad decision. EPIC is a program for most of us who are neither saints nor villains.

EPIC FOCUSES ON GOOD PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO GOOD THINGS Most of us Ethically Challenged Saints

Loyalty and Community Perception • The community understands that we as police officers make mistakes. . . • Non-critical loyalty, passive bystandership, and cover-ups shift the public perception from a mistake by one officer into corruption by several officers. EPIC Builds Community Trust and Public Confidence 7

MODERN POLICING IS A PROFESSION, NOT JUST A JOB 8

MANY PROFESSIONS USE PEER INTERVENTION Educational Institutions Ø Colleges and universities are teaching students how to safely intervene to prevent sexual assaults on campuses. Corporate America Ø Businesses are teaching employees how to intervene to prevent unethical and illegal conduct. Faith Organizations Ø Churches, synagogues, mosques, and other faith communities are teaching their congregants how to intervene to prevent human rights violations. Public Health Agencies Ø Public health agencies are teaching young people how to intervene to prevent at-risk behavior among their peers to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS. 9

HUMANS ARE TERRIBLE AT ESTIMATING RISKS… The Way We Think About Risk is Risky ▸ We train relentlessly and appropriately for our personal safety in a dangerous job. ▸ The nature of police work carries with it substantial legal, psychological, and other systemic risks – do we train appropriately for these risks as well? 10

HUMANS ARE TERRIBLE AT ESTIMATING RISKS… ØWe train relentlessly and appropriately for our personal safety in a dangerous job. ØThe nature of police work carries with it substantial legal, psychological, and other systemic risks – do we train appropriately for these risks as well? ØOn average, officers are more likely to die by suicide than to be shot by an armed perpetrator. ØIn an average year, police forces lose more officers to misconduct than to violence. ØAll officers will be confronted in policing with significant ethical, emotional, and procedural dilemmas.

BUILDING BUY-IN Ø Involve officers across all ranks who serve as informal leaders/influencers in their units. Ø Encourage officers who attend training to be champions for EPIC in their units. Ø Infuse EPIC throughout every facet of our Department. Incorporate EPIC into all appropriate training and communications and continuously reinforce EPIC principles.

EPIC MUST BE INCORPORATED ACROSS THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT Field Training Officers embody EPIC Command embraces EPIC Internal Affairs protects officers who intervene Supervisors support active bystandership Recruit EPICminded officers EPIC infused in training Part of daily life of units in the field

LED BY POLICE OFFICERS OF ALL RANKS EPIC instructors are internal leaders of all ranks.

SUPPORT FROM THE COMMAND STAFF Support for peer intervention must come from the top of the organizational structure. 15

BEING AN EPIC LEADER ØUse our roll calls and staff meetings as opportunities to improve communication among coworkers. ØExplicitly express disapproval of criminal behavior, unethical behavior, and misconduct. ØLeave no room for misunderstandings about what behavior we are willing to tolerate from those around us. ØActively promote intervention and discourage passivity. YOUR experience is the most valuable asset to your police department.

BEING AN EPIC LEADER ØTake advantage of “teachable moments” and the vicarious learning of new officers. ØRookies should carefully watch and learn from veterans. ØDemonstrate professionalism, safety, and de-escalation to new officers. ØContinually ask ourselves: IS THIS A JOB OR A PROFESSION? YOUR experience is the most valuable asset to your police department.

PEER INTERVENTION TEACHING PEER INTERVENTION

Ø We see an officer violating a policy or about to violate a policy or law. Ø We see an officer doing something or about to do something that would discredit

WE INTERVENE BY… Recognizing the need for an intervention and assessing the urgency. ØIs the issue minor? Serious? ØCan an intervention wait, or is it an emergency? Acting rather than watching; being an active bystander. ØDo NOT wait for misconduct to occur or get worse. ØDo NOT ignore the “elephant in the room. ” ØBe vigilant and proactive in our coworkers’ lives and behavior.

REPORTING & MITIGATION ØNOPD policy has always required officers to report misconduct they observe. EPIC does not change that policy. ØEPIC was designed to help PREVENT incidents that would require reporting and discipline. ØWhere an officer encounters misconduct and intervenes, and the violating officer ACCEPTS the intervention (i. e. , stops the behavior), the intervention will constitute a formal mitigating factor in any discipline. ØNOPD supports EPIC and strictly prohibits retaliation, transfers, or other consequences for intervening to protect a coworker.

ACCEPTING INTERVENTION SHARING EPIC ACROSS THE COUNTRY

SHARING EPIC ACROSS THE COUNTRY Ø Police Executive Research Forum Ø Major Cities Chiefs Association Ø International Association of Chiefs of Police Ø Police Departments from across the Country have inquired about EPIC Ø Jackson (MS) Police Department and a Harvard Criminal Justice Fellow will be traveling to New Orleans to observe EPIC Training in December 2017 Ø More Police Departments Traveling to New Orleans in 2018 for EPICdownlo all course materials and to access additional resources. Visit our website at epic. nola. gov to download all course materials and to access additional resources.

EPIC OVERVIEW THE FUTURE OF EPIC

THE FUTURE OF EPIC Ø Peer Intervention Conference Hosted by NOPD Ø Continue to reinforce EPIC in training, operational plans and in community Interactions Ø Continue to equip our officers with the skills they need to intervene before problems occur/escalate, and to do so safely; Ø Aggressive Public Relations Campaign Ø Leadership must continue to embrace and support peer intervention. “All that is necessary for evil to prevail is for good men [and women] to do nothing. ” ~ Edmund Burke ~