The Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC) was recently funded under a U.S. Department of Defense project, known as Strategic Social Interaction Modules (SSIM), to develop and provide Tactical Social Interaction (TSI) training. Results of this training include increased skills in communication, adaptation, and problem solving in law enforcement personnel within a multicultural context.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) funded several partners to participate in creating the SSIM program. WSCJTC’s role in the SSIM project was to design the TSI training program—an innovative classroom-based curriculum designed to teach students the skills that can prepare them for successful encounters within any cultural context. It has currently been delivered to more than 100 students over five classes, including civilian law enforcement personnel. The training has received great support from students and agencies and promises innovation in its full transition to the civilian law enforcement arena. Expected law enforcement outcomes for a TSI program of instruction within a department include increased constitutionality surrounding use-of-force issues, increased community satisfaction with police, greater officer integration into multi-cultural communities, and enhancement of existing procedural justice programs.