GNY EP.175 | feat. DECS

Syracuse Officers Launch De-Escalation & Control Solutions to Train Civilians for High-Stakes Situations On Good News York, host Matt Masur interviews Syracuse Police Sgt. Joe Commisso and Joe Senf about their business, De-Escalation and Control Solutions (DECS), which provides civilians tailored training for high-pressure situations such as school fights, physical aggression, and civilian responses to “active killing.” Drawing on law enforcement and military backgrounds, including academy leadership and reality-based training certification in New York State, they adapt skills like physical de-escalation, awareness of cues, and decision-making under adrenaline to civilian needs, often training on-site at client locations; they also use partner facilities when needed. They explain the business started in 2023 after repeated community requests and concerns about department liability and fairness. They promote a limited-cap women’s self-defense seminar in late May at a vineyard, featuring data-driven myths, practical basics, and a Q&A. 00:00 Academy Training Mission 00:50 Meet the Two Joes 01:19 Why Civilians Need Training 03:33 Tailored Skills and Credentials 04:43 School Fights and Active Threats 06:48 Confidence and Decision Making 09:22 Reality Based Training Logistics 11:09 Common Threats and Awareness Cues 13:44 Why They Started DECS 16:23 Beyond Violence Performance Skills 18:11 How to Find and Contact Them 20:58 Situational Awareness and Intuition 22:25 Womens Self Defense Seminar Details 25:46 Wrap Up and Thanks