New York City police officers are reportedly being told to "take a deep breath" and "close their eyes" when dealing with angry people.
NYPD officers who have gone through the training -- which is part of the city's $35 million "smart policing" program -- told the The New York Post that the full-day sessions are "silly" and "not realistic."
One officer told the newspaper that during one of the lectures, those in attendance were given breathing exercises to learn how to calm down when faced with an angry person -- even when that person could pose a threat to their safety.
"They said if you find yourself in a situation that's getting heated, take a step back, close your eyes and take a deep breath," the officer said. "That's pretty funny -- that I would close my eyes in a tense situation."
Another officer, who said that cops have to make split-second decisions and don't have the luxury of stopping and thinking, called the lectures "smoke and mirrors" to appease the public.
Officers are being paid overtime to attend the retraining program and are going to the sessions instead of their regular shifts, according to the report.
