On police de-escalation, Dallas is a national leader

Shifting police training from a warrior mentality to a servant mindset is something cities across the country have to grapple with. Improving police training methods is a step toward a safer and more just society. We are proud that Dallas is leading the way on these efforts.

And we are also proud that a leading Republican senator, our own John Cornyn, has recognized the importance of teaching police de-escalation strategies. As our newsroom reported last week, Cornyn joined Mayor Eric Johnson at the Dallas Police Academy to highlight a new federal law mirroring Dallas’ current de-escalation procedures.

The Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act authored by Cornyn is a great achievement for the country and Texas. Cornyn’s bipartisan work stands out when members of his own party are hesitant or hostile about taking excessive use of force seriously. The new federal grants will be used to train officers to better engage people in need of mental health services and social programs.

But de-escalation training, while important, is not the only piece of the puzzle to a safer community for all. We must consider the mental health of officers, thinking seriously about the effects their service has on their personal lives.

Many police officers do not recognize or give voice to the help they need. The great majority of police officers are doing their jobs the right way and providing a critical service to our cities. It’s a job few want or can do. We must ensure that officers who need help get it.

Dallas police officers have a divorce rate above 70% and a record of domestic-violence and DWI arrests, according to data reported last summer. Nationwide, studies show police officers have a rate of domestic violence nearly two to four times higher than the general population.

Police officers witness extreme violence, suicide, crimes against children and so much more.

Our country needs more insight into the stressors faced by officers and their families. Until then, the larger problems with policing will be that much harder to address.

After a shooting that killed five Dallas officers in 2016, the department has made major strides in providing mental health services. Dallas Police Chief Eddie García launched an “officer wellness initiative,” which includes “check-ins” after officers are involved in a serious incident, a monthly resource newsletter and a full-time wellness unit made up of respected officers.

We’re lucky to have a police department that takes a holistic approach to officer well-being, and we encourage other departments to do the same.

Policing is hard work, but it has to be done the right way. That means training and treatment for our officers.