; (2) verbal and physical tactics to minimize the need for the use of force, with an emphasis on communication, negotiation, de-escalation techniques, and slowing the pace of a police-civilian encounter; (3) the use of the lowest level of force that is a practical and safe response to an identified threat, with regular re-evaluation of the threat level throughout a police-civilian encounter; (4) principles of using distance, cover, and time when approaching and managing critical incidents, in order to create a reaction gap; (5) strategies for managing interactions with persons undergoing mental health crises, including at least one of— (A) crisis intervention strategies drawn from established, evidence-based CIT programs to appropriately identify and respond to individuals suffering from mental health or substance abuse issues, with an emphasis on de-escalation tactics and promoting effective communication; (B) strategies emphasizing the use of collaborative teams of mental health professionals and law enforcement officers co-responding to mental health calls; (C) mobile crisis team strategies emphasizing the use of teams of trained mental health professionals responding directly to mental health calls; or (D) crisis stabilization center strategies emphasizing the use and operation of specialized facilities that can receive people experiencing mental health crises and that law enforcement, collaborative and co-responder teams, mobile crisis teams and others can transport people to when responding to mental health calls