This panel is jointly presented by the Museum and Boyd's Program on Race, Gender, and Policing.

De-escalation procedures are critical in avoiding violent encounters between police officers and civilians. This panel of experts, officials and activists will discuss de-escalation tactics and the use of force by police, especially in situations involving people experiencing mental illness, trauma or distress. The conversation will explore when and how police, including the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, use de-escalation methods to avoid the use of force. The panel will discuss the psychiatric basis for de-escalation practices, the impact of police encounters on victims and families, and community responses.