Central Bucks Police First In PA To Get De-Escalation Funding

DOYLESTOWN, PA — The Central Bucks Regional Police Department (CBRPD) will receive a grant of $159,037 from the federal government as a part of a new law enforcement de-escalation program.

The program will offer police officers training, equipment, and overtime in an effort to teach the proper protocols for de-escalation in police encounters throughout Central Bucks.

The CBRPD is the first police department in Pennsylvania to receive this type of funding toward de-escalation efforts. The funds originate from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant 2021 awards, which totaled in funds of $33 million.

“Officers will experience and develop new knowledge through real-time comprehensive training sessions that provide immersive hands-on scenario-based exercises with detailed debriefings and after-action review," said CBRPD Police Chief Karl Knott.

Sub-awards will be grants to Buckingham, Doylestown, and Plumstead Township Police Departments, who are partners of the CBRPD. An officer from each department will be chosen as a new "trainer" to teach their fellow officers the protocols that are found in the training program.

All additional information can be found at the Central Bucks Regional Police Department's CrimeWatch page.