Incoming Falls Chief Talks Police Training In Wake Of Protests

FALLS TOWNSHIP, PA — Falls Township's incoming police chief says training is crucial to help officers understand cultural diversity and avoid injuries or deaths like those that led to international protests against police violence.

"It’s important that officers be comfortable with the de-escalation techniques that we have," said Lt. Nelson Whitney, who spoke during a meeting of township supervisors on Monday. "When you watch some of these incidents that have occurred nationwide … you say to yourself, as an experienced officer, 'Why did that officer even have their gun out?' "

Whitney was asked to speak to supervisors in the wake of nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and other high-profile incidents of police violence against black citizens.

Whitney outlined training required of Falls Township police officers, including cultural diversity, sexual harassment, avoiding in-custody deaths and injuries, de-escalation techniques and procedural justices — which focuses on giving people a voice, treating them with respect and being trustworthy.

They also are trained on excited delirium, a condition comment with people on methamphetamines and other drugs that leads them to resist and fight.

Falls officers also undergo defensive tactics and firearms trainings three times a year, Whitney said.

"Training is something we have to continually reinforce in the police department," he said.

Every year, Whitney said, the department conducts a bias-based policing review of the ethnicity of people arrested compared to demographics in the township as a whole.

Neck restraining, which was used in the arrest that led to Floyd's death, has been banned by the Falls Township Police Department for decades. Whitney, who has worked for Falls police since 1988, said it was never allowed during his 32-year career.

That is not anything our officers are trained to do here or permitted to do by policy," he said.

Instead, police have restraint belts and leg restraints in every patrol unit and cell block. Cell blocks also have a restraint chair. Restraints allow people to be handcuffed up front instead of behind their back.

Instead of deadly force, officers, when necessary, are taught to use less lethal options, including pepper spray, tasers and batons, Whitney said.

"If we can de-escalate, officers frequently do. There’s a high value placed on human life," Whitney said. "They don’t resort to higher levels of force just because they can."

Lt. Whitney referenced several instances where police would have been legally justified in shooting and instead tackled the gun-wielding suspect to the ground to remove the weapon.

Whitney was named the township's next police chief last month. He is scheduled to take over as acting chief in September and as chief in January, after current Police Chief William Wilcox retires.