All D.C. police officers and recruits will receive what the department calls “new and innovative” training aimed at lowering the temperature in situations involving people experiencing a mental health crisis.
The Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics (ICAT) training programme will be taught to “every sworn member” of the D.C. Police Department in 2024, according to the department.
“We want our officers to demonstrate empathy, passion and caring – but also to not be afraid to take the necessary law enforcement action to protect our community,” said D.C. Police Chief Pamela A. Smith at a press conference held at the D.C. Police Academy’s Tactical Training Center in Southwest on Monday.
“The goal of ICAT is not to eliminate the use of force by police, but to provide our officers with additional skills that will allow them to safely and successfully handle a range of critical incidents,” Smith said.
ICAT training will be integrated into the department’s overall curriculum for every new recruit coming through the D.C. Police Academy, in collaboration with the D.C. Department of Behavioral Health.
The 16-hour training, developed by the Police Executive Research Forum, “has led to reductions in use of force incidents … and injuries in major cities across the country,” according to the department.
ICAT is already being administered to 120 law enforcement agencies in 30 states, according to D.C. police.
The department said the training will complement training that began last year “in which every officer completed a two-day mental health first aid training or was certified as a crisis intervention officer”.
