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The Baltimore Police Department (BPD) is honing officers’ emotional regulation skills in a new training program designed to foster understanding and empathy among its officers.
The initiative, known as Rewire4, uses video as a learning tool and incorporates insights from brain science to help officers manage their emotions during high-stress situations.
The program, developed by the anti-violence organization Roca, requires all Baltimore police officers to undergo an eight-hour course exploring the connection between thoughts, feelings and actions.
Roca, known for working with at-risk youth in impoverished and violent neighborhoods, believes that officers and community members share common ground in their experiences of trauma.
James “JT” Timpson, a Baltimore resident involved with the Roca Impact Institute, noted: “In the streets, we look at some police officers like they’re crazy, and they look at us like we’re crazy. But we’re both experiencing the same thing, which is trauma.”
The program addresses the toll that repeated exposure to traumatic incidents takes on police officers.
Instructors, for example, share personal experiences and discuss cases that have left a lasting impact on officers.
Major Derek Loeffler, overseeing training and education for the Baltimore Police Department, stressed the importance of recognizing officers’ humanity.
“Police officers are human underneath the uniform, and experiencing repeated trauma can result in hypervigilant behavior,” he said.
The training was initially offered in 2017 following a DOJ-mandated consent decree over unconstitutional policing practices, but was not mandatory until now.
According to Roca, the program draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, a psychotherapeutic approach focused on strengthening healthy neurological pathways in the brain through awareness and repetition.
Officers are taught skills such as “Flex your thinking” and “Label your feelings” to enhance emotional regulation.
During the course, instructors presented the infamous 2007 viral video of a Baltimore police officer berating a teenager as an example of what happens when a person operates in survival mode, or “bottom brain,” triggered by fear and stress responses.
The training encourages officers to engage their “top brain,” where reason prevails for slower, more careful decision-making.
Sgt. Amy Strand, one of the program’s instructors, called for avoiding stereotypes and approaching others with empathy.
“We have to learn how to separate the person from the behavior,” she said.
In light of the increased scrutiny of police conduct through body cameras and cell phones, the training aims to help officers stay calm even in challenging situations.
Sgt. Maria Velez, another instructor, reminded her colleagues of their calling to serve the community.
“This is more than just a job. You have a calling for this, something inside of you that makes you want to get up every single day and push through adversity,” Velez stated.
The Baltimore Police Department’s adoption of the Rewire4 program reflects a broader shift in policing approaches nationwide.
The initiative is not only seen as a tool to reduce police violence but also as a means to build community trust and bridge the gap between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
With the evolving landscape of policing, Baltimore police hope their unconventional approach may pave the way for a more empathetic and understanding police force.
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