The Thin Blue Lifeline: Verbal De-escalation of Aggressive & Emotionally Disturbed People: A Comprehensive Guidebook for Law Enforcement Officers

The first section of this book is tactical: everything from field safety and strategic planning on one side, to honing your intuition to pick up early signs of danger on the other. In the second section of the book, the authors focus on us: what we can do to achieve a state of integrity and powerful calm. Rather than abstract pronouncements, they offer specific strategies, including a method of breathing for the purpose of maintaining one's own center in crisis situations.

They then move on to the heart of the book, discussing specific behaviors ranging from confusion and obsessive concerns to psychosis, mania and acute disorganization. In one very important section, they discuss interactions with opportunistic and manipulative individuals (at worst, those referred to as psychopaths), people who present a danger to the psychological and physical well-being of anyone with whom they come in contact.

Amdur and Hutchings do not merely confine themselves to the important subject of despondent suicidal individuals who attempt to kill themselves. They also offer strategic interventions for "parasuicidal" individuals, those who either threaten to harm themselves, or repetitively do so, requiring almost constant involvement of police, hospitals and the mental health system. In one very important chapter, the authors discuss "suicide-by-cop," where self-harm and interpersonal aggression are folded into the same act.

They then move on to a discussion of anger and potentially violent behavior, whether directed at law enforcement officers or others. The authors give succinct information on how to immediately recognize different modes of aggression, whether displayed by adults, youth, or children, and then outline how to quickly and effectively implement de-escalation or control tactics best suited to deal with the type of aggression one is facing.

Finally, in essential appendices, they present protocols on current information on positional and compression asphyxiation (authored by Dr. Gary Vilke), and a protocol, specific to police, on excited delirium (authored by Lieutenant Michael Paulus, ret.) Rather than abstract information, more useful in a consulting room than in the field, The Thin Blue Lifeline is tactically based, from start to finish. This book can function as the foundation of any law enforcement Crisis Intervention Team program, providing a comprehensive course of study of "boots-on-the-ground" encounters with emotionally disturbed individuals. In the same vein, the information in this volume provides core information on communication, which will be invaluable to any crisis/hostage negotiation team.

Ellis Amdur received his BA in psychology from Yale University in 1974 and his MA in psychology from Seattle University in 1990. He is both a National Certified Counselor and a State Certified Child Mental Health Specialist. Since the late 1960s, Amdur trained in various martial arts systems, spending thirteen years studying in Japan. He is a recognized expert in classical and modern Japanese martial traditions and has authored three iconoclastic books as well as one instructional DVD on this subject. Since his return to America in 1988, Ellis Amdur has worked in the field of crisis intervention. He has developed a range of training and consultation services, as well as a unique style of assessment and psychotherapy. These are based on a combination of phenomenological psychology and the underlying philosophical premises of classical Japanese martial traditions. Amdur's professional philosophy can best be summed up in this idea: the development of an individual's integrity and dignity is the paramount virtue. This can only occur when people live courageously, regardless of the circumstances, and take responsibility for their roles in making the changes they desire. Ellis Amdur is a dynamic public speaker and trainer who presents his work throughout the United States and internationally. He is noted for his sometimes outrageous humor as well as his profound breadth of knowledge. His vivid descriptions of aggressive and mentally ill people and his true-to-life role playing of the behaviors in question give participants an almost firsthand experience of facing the real individuals in question. His books are considered unique in that he uses his own experiences, often hair-raising or outrageous, as illustrations of the principles about which he writes, but it is also backed by solid research, and boots-on-the-ground experience.

John Hutchings was Chief of Police for the Tenino Police Department in Washington State. He began his law enforcement career with the City of Orange, California, where he grew up. He, his wife, and two children moved to Olympia in 1985. He served 27 years with the Olympia Police Department before taking over as Chief of Police in Tenino. Hutchings has worked in every capacity police work has to offer, giving him a very broad base of experience. He completed his B.A. at The Evergreen State College (Olympia) in 2000. He completed his M.A. in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University (Orange, California) in 2004. Besides his M.A., he obtained graduate certificates in Organizational Development and Human Resources. Fmr. Chief Hutchings is a Fulbright Scholar (2007/08). He lived in England for three months while conducting a multi-country research project studying the effects of critical incident stress debriefings on police officers. The results of his research are pending publication. John collaborated with NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill), and a host of local professionals from the mental health field to create Olympia's CIT program. He is eternally grateful for their work, mentorship, and friendship. Hutchings has presented at numerous mental health conferences around the State of Washington. He presented on CIT in Sydney, Australia (2003) for the International Congress on Law and Mental Health. John worked closely with a Sergeant from Newcastle, England on the development and assessment of the U.K.'s first Mental Health Awareness pilot course. On behalf of England's National Health Service, John has presented numerous times in North Yorkshire, England on crisis intervention and officer involved shootings. His audiences include the officer on the beat, police command staff, psychologists, and psychiatrists, both experienced and those in training. In 2011, Chief Hutchings' son, Sgt. Michael J. Hutchings (US Army Ret) returned from serving in Iraq (Operation Enduring Freedom). Sgt. Hutchings survived an IED blast in the up-armored MRAP he was riding, and suffered a traumatic brain injury and severe PTSD. He is in the process of recovering from both. Mike and his father are currently conducting training for police officers in the conditions of war, identifying the returning combat soldier and the de-escalation of those in crisis. He currently serves as Commissioner for the Thurston County Washington Board of County Commissioners