SENDING IT BACK TO YOU.

>>> RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO CRIME LAB, SAY THEY HAVE FOUND A TRAINING PROGRAM THAT CAN DRAMATICALLY CUT THE NUMBER OF TIMES POLICE OFFICERS USE FORCE, WHILE ALSO INCREASING THEIR SAFETY.

THE FINDINGS ARE OUTLINED IN A NEW STUDY, AND A WTTW NEWS REPORTER, JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THE STUDY.

THE PROGRAM IS CALLED SITUATIONAL DECISION-MAKING.

THIS IS PILOTED WITH MORE THAN 2000 CHICAGO POLICE OFFICERS BETWEEN 2020, AND 2021.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT HOW THE TRAINING WORKS?

>> Reporter: THEY ARE TRYING TO HANDLE HIGH-STAKES SITUATIONS.

THAT IS THE GOAL.

THEY NEED TO RETHINK HOW THEY ACTUALLY DO THAT.

OFFICERS LEARN ABOUT COGNITIVE BIAS, AND THE REASON WHY THEY MAKE THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE.

WHY THEY THINK THE WAY THEY DO.

THEY ARE PLACED INTO SIMULATIONS, WITH SOME OF THESE HIGH-STAKES SITUATIONS.

THEY ARE GOING TO DEBRIEF WITH OTHER OFFICERS AFTER, WHICH IS ALL CLASSROOM LEARNING.

THEY ARE TRYING TO CONSIDER DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT THESE THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT.

>> WHAT IMPACT DOES IT HAVE ON THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE GOING TO PARTICIPATE?

THEY CUT USE OF FORCE BY THE OFFICERS AND 22%.

THIS WAS A SO-CALLED DISCRETIONARY REST.

WE HAVE NECESSARY THINGS THAT MIGHT NOT AFFECT PUBLIC SAFETY.

IT INCREASE OFFICER SAFETY.

THEY WERE REDUCING INJURIES.

WE ALSO MADE OFFICERS ACT MORE DECISIVELY IN THESE DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.

>> WHAT IS THE TALK OF THE POLICE PARTICIPANTS?

THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT WENT WITH THIS, WERE OVERLAPPING, AND RESPONDING WELL TO HIM THE NATURE OF THIS PROGRAMMING.

THEY CAN FIND THEMSELVES IN HERE AT ANY TIME.

>> THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL BE ADOPTED AT SOME POINT.

THEY HOPE THIS TRAINING WILL BECOME THE NORM FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

NOT NECESSARILY JUST THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, BUT TRAINING THAT FOCUSES ON BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE, AND