Anonymous donor gives $20K to police department for de-escalation training

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    ASHEVILLE, NC (WLOS) — The Asheville Police Department is rolling out new de-escalation training thanks to a $20,000 private donation.

A spokesperson for Asheville Police said the donor wishes to remain anonymous.

According to the Asheville City Council agenda this person donated to boost officer morale.

Zack called the donation an incredible gift.

“If you want a top-notch professional police department you have to invest in it,” he said.

The donation, which will all go toward de-escalation training, is coming as the City of Asheville continues to reevaluate public safety.

The training could provide what many in the community have been calling for: A look into use of force and how officers can avoid it.

“The de-escalation training is actually verbal conflict resolution, so we’re trying to build on the skills that senior officers possess but also we have so many new young officers here who need this sort of training,” Zack said.

APD conducted a de-escalation training simulation back in 2017 that News 13 was allowed to film.

As a part of the staged scenario, officers worked on their communication skills to safely handle a woman threatening to kill herself.

That year, under the direction of then Chief Tammy Hooper, the department changed its use of force policy to focus more on de-escalation.

APD came under fire leading up to and after the 2017 training for two situations people in the community called “excessive force.”

The first was the July 2016 killing of Jai Williams. Officials said Williams led police on a chase, then that Williams exited his car with an AR-15, after which police ended up shooting and killing him.

That case was ruled justified, but some people still raised concerns over how the situation was handled.

The department came under harsh criticism again a year later, in August 2017, for its handling of the Johnnie Rush case. Leaked body cam video in 2018 showed former APD officer Chris Hickman beating Rush.

Hickman later pleaded guilty to assault in that case.

Zack said the department plans on rolling out the new de-escalation training over the next month or so.

He described situations in which the training could be useful.

Working and policing is difficult,” Zack said, “and you’re working oftentimes whether it’s people under stress, people who maybe are at the worst moment of their lives, maybe people suffering from mental illness or are currently under the abuse of substance.
Zack said he hopes to invite members of Asheville City Council and the media to observe the training.

A spokesperson for APD said the donor gave the money in honor of his sister, through the Trina Mullen Fund for Pritchard Park of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.

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