- Chief Ronnell Higgins, Yale University Police Department
"The success of any police department is dependant on the behaviors of the men and women on the front lines. This training positions the officer and the department to be successful in the face of difficult situations."
- Scott Nuterangelo, Communications Supervisor, New Haven Public Safety
"Lt. Hassett's De-escalation class proved to be very effective for our Dispatchers/Call takers. It helped our personnel develop specific skills to improve in their own call taking and to better serve the public. I highly recommend the course."
- Judith R. Dicine, J.D, Criminal Justice & Forensic Sciences, University of New Haven
"Ret. New Haven PD Lt. Ray Hassett recently presented his program "Recognizing Emotion as a Second Language" to my Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure students at the University of New Haven, Henry C. Lee School of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences. We were all very fortunate to attend, as it provided a gripping examination of how in many circumstances, law enforcement can effectively de-escalate a crisis without the use of force by properly recognizing and responding to emotion at the scene. This strategy to recognize emotion to avoid unnecessary use of force is a novel, purposeful and extremely timely program. All officers should learn this "art".
- Chief Matthew Catania, Plainville CT Police Department
"Today’s stressful, and sometimes agitated social environment presents the need for all of us to better skills in order to cope with challenging situations. We also must accept that dialing 911 cannot be the sum total of our strategy for resolving dangerous interactions with hostile or aggressive individuals.
Ray Hassett’s de-escalation training provides an excellent foundation on how to manage these challenging encounters. Ray’s vast law enforcement experience, coupled with his affable character, provides reality-based and believable training. Ray connects with people. His training session provides insights that translate into improved verbal communications in all areas of our lives. It is my belief that having these skills will improve any employee’s ability to effectively communicate and reduces stress in the workplace.
I recommend incorporating Ray’s de-escalation training, not just in the law enforcement field, but into all areas where customer service is the objective and customer contact is inevitable."
- Colonel Kyle Overturf (Ret.), Connecticut Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection
"Lieutenant Ray Hassett provided me a better understanding of mental health issues in law enforcement. I did not think that within six weeks of taking the course that the skills I learned would be tested.
Our Agency was contacted by the State Police to assist with a report of a subject armed with a knife, pepper spray and a pellet pistol at a state park, threatening suicide or suicide by cop. Shortly after arriving, I ended up in a foot pursuit through the woods. The subject stopped about 15 feet from me, turned around and drew a knife out of his pocket. He put the knife to his throat and threatened to kill himself.
Instantly, instruction from Ray came to mind. I utilized the techniques taught in the class and spoke to the subject for about 30 minutes. All this time he had the knife to his throat threatening to kill himself. After that very tense 30 minutes, he agreed to put down the knife and allowed us to walk him out of the woods where he was taken into protective custody.
I credit the information and skills provided in the Police Response to Handling Individuals with Mental Illness course in helping bring this incident to resolution, in which neither the subject nor any of the police officers involved were injured."
Ray Hassett De-Escalation / Connection Training
a few words from our clients
- Louise Pyers, M.S. Executive Director, CT Alliance to Benefit Law Enforcement, Inc.
"Ray Hassett's de-escalation training is the foundation of our Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement in Connecticut. It can be easily applied to a wide range of situations. The roots of his training come from a place of respect for others, not trickery or manipulation. This process helps both the officer and the person to slow down the process and think rationally, rather than be driven by emotion. It save lives."
- Police Chief Dean Esserman (Ret.), New Haven Police Department
"This first rate course is indispensable to any officer in the performance of their duties.I took the course personally and recognized its importance immediately."
- Kimberly M. Goff-Crews, Secretary and Vice President for University Life, Yale University
“Pulling from his varied experiences as a police officer, negotiator and actor, Ray Hassett offers engaging training on how to de-escalate crisis situations. I particularly appreciate his focus on situational awareness, connection and communication.”
- Chris George, Executive Director, IRIS - Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services
"Hassett's training is thoroughly engaging and relevant. My entire staff participated and all of us felt we learned a lot. In fact, just days after the training we had an opportunity to put these valuable skills into action. A case manager was faced with an angry visitor. Using the skills he learned in Hassett's workshop, he de-escalated the situation quickly. By the end of the exchange, the two were happily chatting and smiling over cups of coffee! "
Real-life Skills for Reading Behaviors, Resolving Conflicts, Reducing Violence, Staying Safe
- Erin L. Williams, Superintendent of Safety & Training, Connecticut Transit Authority
"I have been to a few de-escalation classes over the last few years. Ray’s class is nothing like the rest. This class offers tools that are essential for the folks that work in the Transit industry. Highly recommended!"