• The study looked at 109,000 interactions between people and the sheriff’s office in one year.
• Data from the study shows that more than 97% of interactions with citizens were described as calm and cooperative.
• Watch the video to learn more about how this initiative works and how neighbors are reacting.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT

What does a typical interaction between neighbors and law enforcement look like? And how often do situations escalate?

I’m Terry Gilliam, your southwest Tallahassee reporter.

I asked the Leon County Sheriff’s Office about their new report… which details their encounters with neighbors over the past year.

“We all need to be together. We need them and they help us.

Ora Coleman lives in South Tallahassee.

She believes people in her community should be able to trust law enforcement.

Now, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office is trying to build that trust.

They started an initiative called the De-escalation Tracking Project… which tracks interactions with neighbors and officers.

The study was commissioned by Sheriff Walt McNeil.

And on Friday… His office released its results.

The project documented more than 109,000 citizen interactions with LCSO deputies.

And the report states that more than 97% of interactions with citizens were described as calm and cooperative.

Only 2 percent of interactions were classified as agitated or uncooperative…the majority of them ending in successful de-escalation.

And only 1 percent of incidents resulted in an arrest.

Coleman says this report is a good sign for his community.

“It builds morale between three neighbors and officers.”

Sheriff McNeil tells me this report allows his office to be more transparent with the community.

“We provide a lot of services to our community. As for those interactions, we’ve never measured that, only service calls. But from the citizens’ point of view, they would like to know how effective we are.”

He also says the results highlight the good work his deputies do every day.

“It allows our deputies to see that their work is appreciated, and it sends the message to the community that you have a pretty good sheriff’s office.” They can be assured that our deputies will demonstrate professionalism.

Professionalism, trust and safety…words Coleman hopes his neighbors remember…when they think of law enforcement in Leon County.

“There are people who need to know that our officers are here for us.”

You can read the full de-escalation report for 2023-2024 for yourself now. I will include a link to it in this story on WTXL.com. In Southwest Tallahassee, Terry Gilliam, ABC27.