Verbal Judo and Tactical Communication

1. Verbal Judo andTactical Communication

2. Introduction • Deputy Nathan Green • Currently employed with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. • United States Army 1996-2000. • Hanover Collage Security EMT 2003-2006. • Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. 2006 to present • Education • Graduate of Southwestern High School 1991 • United States Army Basic and AIT • Campus Police and EMT Hanover Collage • Indiana Law Enforcement Academy class 170

3. Objectives • Define Verbal Judo. • List the 3 C’s of the GVC. • Explain the L.E.A.P.S concept. • List 4 of the 11 things never to say to anyone.

4. A little Verbal + Judo four horseman of the apocalypse.

5. Definition #1 • Tactical communication training that enables officers to further preserve law and order while maintaining their own and the public’s safety by using appropriate presence and words as force options.

6. Definition #2 • Verbal Judo is an established method of providing law enforcement officers with proper communication skills to help them in their day to day activities.

7. Definitions #3 & 4 • Using one’s words to prevent, de-escalate, or end an attempted assault. • Defined as a way of using words to maintain mental and emotional safety.

8. Need for Verbal Judo • In any of these definitions it is agreed that verbal judo is a necessary means of enforcing personal boundaries and limits. • The redirection of a person’s behavior with words is a law enforcement officer’s most important weapon for keeping him/herself and the public safe. • Speech is power. Power to persuade, convert and to compel (Emerson)

9. The concepts of the GVC • Keys to Generating Voluntary Compliance • Compliance • Keys to Generative Voluntary Cooperation • Cooperation • Collaboration

10. Keys to Generating Voluntary Compliance

11. Compliance • Defined: The action of complying with a wish or command. • The tone of your voice when you first speak with someone will set the stage of your interaction. • The expression on your face will also aid in the ongoing interaction. • Body language is also an important component of the first impression to gain compliance.

12. Keys to Generating Voluntary Cooperation

13. Cooperation • Defined: The process of working together to the same end. • The words you use in your initial conversation with your subject can and will lead to cooperation if done correctly. • Ask, don’t tell. Adults don’t like to be told what to do. Avoid making others defensive. • If you are not open and professional, getting people to convert to your way of thinking is nearly impossible.

14. Collaboration • Defined: The action of working with someone to produce or create something. • Motivation is essential to collaboration. • Displaying a willingness to help others can open a door to collaboration • Improve your aptitude for listening to the viewpoints of others.

15. L.E.A.P.S • A basic tool for generating the three C’s • L. Listen • E. Empathize • A. Ask • P. Paraphrase • S. Summarize

16. Listen • Listening is not a natural act. • It is highly artificial and artistic. • In fact, listening is not the opposite of talking. • In our culture, the opposite of talking is more like waiting to interrupt. (G.J Thompson Ph.D)

17. Steps of Active Listening • Being open and unbiased. • Hearing literally. • Interpreting the data. • Acting on the data.

18. Empathize • You don’t have to agree; just try and understand where the person is coming from. • If a person believes in you, in your service to them, in your desire to help often times that is enough to generate voluntary compliance. • If you can show someone that what you are doing is ultimately going to benefit them there is a good chance that you can win them over.

19. Ask • Who, what, when, where, why, and how? • This allows your subject to choose his answer and lets them feel in control. • Opinion seeking • How do you think this should be handled? • This is very powerful type of question because it allows you’re subject to state his opinion.

20. Ask (continued) • Direct. Yes or No? • These can be useful in their own right but too many in a row can be counterproductive. • Leading. Isn’t it true that? • This type of question should be used with a number of other methods. • Jumping directly into leading questions will have a chance to anger people do to the fact you are essentially putting words in someone’s mouth.

21. Paraphrase • When your subject explains his problem repeat the problem back, even if you don’t understand it. • Even if you don’t care about your subject’s problem you should still appear to care by explaining the problem back to them.

22. Summarize • Be brief. • Be concise. • Be inarguable

23. Things never to say to anyone • Come here! • You wouldn’t understand. • Because those are the rules. • It’s none of your business. • What do you want me to do about it? • Calm Down. • What’s your problem? • You never or you always. • I’m not going to say this again. • I’m doing this for your own good. • Why don’t you be reasonable?

24. Come here! • This command actually means run away to some people. • It is a vaguely threatening statement. • Try saying excuse me and see what happens.

25. You wouldn’t understand. • You might as well put a comma and then stupid at the end. • If you are being pressed to reveal something try I am not willing to answer that right now.

26. Because those are the rules. • That comes across as kind of insensitive. • Understand the rules and regulations so you can impart knowledge when you are asked the hard questions.

27. It’s none of your business. • This phrase can anger people because it cuts them off. • Just explain why you cannot tell them.

28. What do you want me to do about it? • This statement can be a cop-out that affects you credibility. • Just explain that you are sorry. You don’t have the answer they are looking for.

29. Calm Down. • This is basically a criticism of one’s behavior. • Tell them it’s going to be ok, you are there to help.

30. What’s your problem? • This is a you versus me comment • Try what’s the matter or how can I help?

31. You never or you always. • This statement is a lie. • Try something like I know it seems that way but what can I do to help.

32. I’m not going to say this again. • Stay away from this trap of a statement. • Try something like I need you to understand the say let me say it again, and please listen carefully.

33. I’m doing this for your own good. • No one believes this statement. • If it really is for the persons own good you better be able to explain why.

34. Why don’t you be reasonable? • This question can invite conflict. • Try being reasonable with them. Let me see if I understand your position.

35. Summary • This block if instruction will help the student with the concepts of verbal judo and how it relates to police work. We will examine the basic techniques of verbal judo. How to best accomplish ones goal in the application of verbal judo and the importance that verbal judo can play when used in the police

36. Objectives • Define verbal judo. • List the 3 C’s of the GVC. • Explain the L.E.A.P.S concept. • List 4 of the 11 never to say to anyone.

37. Questions?

38. Test questions • Name the three C’s of the GVC? • Answers: Compliance, Cooperation, Collaboration • Explain the L in Leaps? • Answer: Listen. • Explain in your own words the use for Verbal Judo in police work? • Essay: Verbal Judo is an established method of providing law enforcement officers with proper communication skills to help them in their day to day activities.