Police are being judged by their actions in a split-second. Before they can call their supervisor to explain the situation, someone has likely posted what they saw on social media.
“Get out of the car, or I will GET YOU out!”
Excessive Use of Force
The application of force beyond what is reasonably believed to be necessary to gain compliance from a subject in any given incident.
In February 2019 Sgt. Fred Jones (now ret.) gave a unique TedTalk on use of force. He asked RITE if it would be okay to use what he learned in our class years before, in much of the presentation.
With over 114,000 views and over 90 positive comments, his video continues to raise an eyebrow to higher standards of policing.
Every officer needs to watch this 15 minute TED Talk. Officers of every age, skin color, race, rank, and gender can benefit from it. We can either escalate the situation with use of force, or learn this Secret to de-escalate.
7 Top Points from this VIDEO
1. Why Officers NEED this training
By recognizing and responding appropriately to emotions, officers can communicate more effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, potentially preventing misunderstandings and escalating conflicts.
2. Officers recognizing anger issues
Understanding our own emotional intelligence, and the emotions of others, officers can identify potential triggers and use appropriate de-escalation techniques to resolve conflicts peacefully.
3. Officers with excessive baggage
EI training encourages officers to recognize their own biases and emotional triggers, enabling them to act with greater professionalism and impartiality.
RITE training equip officers with the tools to navigate challenging situations without letting personal issues negatively impact their performance
4. Lack of Emotional Intelligence triggers
Lack of emotional awareness can lead to misreading non-verbal cues, causing misunderstandings with the community.
They might struggle to de-escalate tense situations due to an inability to recognize and respond to the emotions of others, potentially escalating conflicts further.
5. EI Tools needed for control
Tools teach Empathy and understanding
Not just understanding others’ emotions but actively seeking to see situations from their perspective and respond with compassion.
6. Building agency morale
Emotional Intelligence (EI) training benefits the agency by improving community relations, reducing use of force incidents, and enhancing decision-making under pressure.
This ultimately leads to better public trust and a more effective police force.
7. Improving officer retention
RITE’s EI training helps departments create a supportive environment that values leadership and wellbeing, which can help with recruitment and retention.
This gives officers the best opportunity to grow and flourish within the agency for their entire career.
September 2016 Sgt. Fred Jones became a RITE Trainer
We have recently started implementing the RITE program at our agency here in Lake County, FL. The first phase of implementation was with our Road Patrol unit and will continue with all the specialized units in our agency at which time the Detention Deputies will also go through the training.
I received positive feedback from the deputies including those such as “ I like this program because it is a program about us and how to be aware of where we are emotionally at all times”
Sgt. Fred Jones
Professional StandardsLake County Sheriff’s Office
Benefits of Emotional Intelligence
Officers lacking in empathy often fail to understand the feelings of others. They have difficulties in relating to and with others, resulting in the misinterpretation of social cues and surprise reactions. Officers who use empathy will benefit the agency, and improve community relations.
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is learning to become aware of our emotions, and to acknowledge that emotions drive behavior that can impact others (positively and negatively). Learning to manage our emotions, in the moment, is crucial. The truth is, no one can make you mad, they just stir up what’s already brewing inside.
Today we are seeing agencies raise the bar for improving officer mental health and wellness. Officers can’t stay in a state of negative resistance and still treat the public in a professional way. When RITE teaches officers how to use a proven technique (like our Ladder of Emotions), they realize what has been holding them back. Starting here becomes a great place to improve mental health and overall wellness.

About RITE Officer Training – We help officers communicate with themselves, the agency, and the community more effectively. The RITE Ladder Tool teaches EI & SI that builds Career resiliency, improves Department morale, helps Professional workplace culture and reduces police misconduct that will mitigate risk.
For private classes where we come to you… Contact us below.
RITE Academy Stats
- Trained over 2000 agencies on RITE
- Certified over 1500 RITE train-the-trainers
- Gave out more than 750,000 RITE Tools and hundreds of newsletters
- Helped agencies reduce use-of-force incidents by 65%
- Public complaints DOWN by 60% and public compliments UP by 50%