About this episode
In Volusia County, Florida, annual arrests dropped by almost 30% from 2017 to 2019 even though call volume remained steady, and the recorded frequency of Volusia deputies using force fell by nearly half, from 122 annual incidents to 65. Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood credits a visit to Scotland in 2015 for helping implement new de-escalation strategies that have assisted not only in reducing the use of force, but also officer injuries. In this episode, host Jim Dudley discusses the strategies and training in place at Volusia County with Sheriff Chitwood and how other agencies could implement similar programs.