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Register to attend this webinar on Tuesday, April 22, at 1 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. CT / 10 a.m. PT by completing the “Register for this Police1 Webinar” box on this page!

De-escalation is a critical skill in modern policing, but many policies and training programs fail to account for real-world challenges. Officers are expected to de-escalate high-risk encounters, navigate mental health crises and follow evolving legal policies, all while maintaining officer safety and public trust.

This discussion will explore:

✅ Tactical de-escalation that works – Real-world strategies for high-stress situations when force may still be necessary.
✅ Mental health & crisis calls – Handling individuals in crisis, knowing when to disengage and policy pitfalls.
✅ The training vs. reality gap – What departments get wrong about de-escalation training, and how to fix it.

Through case studies, legal insights and officer-tested tactics, attendees will gain practical takeaways on how to implement de-escalation effectively — without compromising safety.

Who should attend? Patrol officers, supervisors, training coordinators and command staff looking for realistic, applicable de-escalation strategies that work in the field — not just in theory.

Register to attend this webinar by completing the “Register for this Police1 Webinar” box on this page!

ABOUT OUR PANEL

Captain (Ret.) Spencer Fomby is the former director of the Boise Police Department Training, Education, and Development Division. He was previously employed by the Berkeley (California) Police Department for 20 years. He has held primary assignments in patrol, narcotics and crime prevention. He was assigned to SWAT for 18 years as an entry team member, team leader and tactical commander. He has created two CA POST-approved de-escalation courses. He was also a tactical instructor for the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA), where he taught Police Counter Ambush and Advanced Response Police Officer (ARPO). Captain (Ret.) Fomby was the lead Berkeley Police Department public order instructor. He was responsible for equipment selection, tactical training, less-lethal weapon selection, chemical agent selection and deployment and mission planning. Captain (Ret.) Fomby has been recognized as a subject matter expert in police tactics and works on several national projects. He is the section chair for the National Tactical Officers Association Public Order Section. He is assigned to a National Institute of Justice Special Technical Committee on public order equipment. He is an SME in public order equipment and tactics for DHS First Responder Resource Group. He is an SME in active shooter response for the International Association of Chiefs of Police Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC). He works as a consultant and expert witness focused on police practices, use of force, officer-involved shootings, in-custody deaths and public order.

John Morris recently retired as a lieutenant from the Winston-Salem Police Department, an agency of 500 officers located in North Carolina. His 27 years of service include over 20 years in SWAT as well as years in patrol and special operations. He holds a National Instructor Certification through the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training. John’s goal is to help officers throughout the country save lives through a superior command of the law and a proper application of tactics.

Scott Savage served as a law enforcement officer in the San Francisco Bay Area from 1999–2023. As an officer and then as a sergeant, Scott has developed subject matter expertise in police operations. His previous assignments include SWAT, full time assignment to a terrorism/intelligence task force, team leader on a crisis negotiation team, field training officer, academy instructor, field supervisor and incident commander. He is the CEO and founder of the Savage Training Group, an organization made up of expert instructors who provide advanced training to law enforcement officers.

Laura Scarry is a partner with DeAno & Scarry, LLC and attorney for Lexipol. She served as a police officer for the city of Lake Forest, IL from 1986-1992. Since then, she’s built her law practice where she represents police officers, supervisors and agencies. The claims she covers include excessive and deadly force, search and seizure, malicious prosecution, failure to train, duty to protect, police pursuit, in-custody deaths and racial profiling. She is also a certified force science analyst.

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