Part 1: CUTV News Radio spotlights Dr. John Peters of IPICD

Palm Desert, CA – Dr. John Peters is the president and chief learning officer of the Institute for the Prevention and Management of In-Custody Deaths. A former Pennsylvania police officer and deputy sheriff, Peters trains law enforcement, legal attorneys, paramedics, and even medical examiners on the handling of arrest-related and sudden in-custody deaths.

Along with his training associate and vice president David Berman, IPICD has been teaching the subject since 1996, though Peters says their real interest in the subject began around 2005, following the introduction of Taser stun guns.

“Before any first responder can do anything to help these folks, they first have to be captured and controlled,” says Dr. Peters. “Therein lies some of the problems. Some of the capturing methods historically have involved pepper spray. More recently it's involved the use of electronic control devices, primarily the Taser.”

“With mental illness issues, the opioid pandemic, officers are confronting wildly out-of-control people,” says Dr. Peters. “So one of our primary goals is to provide scientific and evidence-based information and practices to help first responders intervene with this category of individual and try to save their lives, or at least minimize any significant serious injury.”

IPICD takes a rigorous approach to identifying, reviewing, and teaching the scientific findings on pepper spray, putting people face-down during restraint, on Taser, and works with the medical community to teach appropriate interventions.

“It starts at the top. It starts with the administration,” says Dr, Peters. “We find that if the folks are well trained they have a more professional approach.”

For more information on IPICD, visit http://www.ipicd.com