The UT Police Department will co-host a national training that gives law enforcement officers skills, tools and options to safely and successfully defuse critical incidents.

Integrating Communications, Assessment and Tactics (ICAT) will be held November 2-3 on the UT campus. The de-escalation training will be offered to police officers who will then return to their respective agencies to train fellow officers.

UTPD is the first campus law enforcement agency in Tennessee to offer ICAT training, which will be hosted in partnership with the Police Executive Research Forum.

“It’s imperative that we give our officers the best chance of success when they’re dealing with people in crisis,” said UTPD Assistant Chief Sean Patterson. “We want to give them as many tools and techniques as possible so a safe outcome can be achieved for all involved.”

Patterson, who was part of the team that created ICAT and taught it around the country, noted that for years SWAT teams have had tremendous success in dealing with people in crisis.

“The reason why is because they slow things down, create distance, create a game plan and call in other resources to help,” he said.

Some of the same strategies will be applied in this new approach to use-of-force training.

“It’s not necessarily reinventing the wheel,” Patterson said. “It’s proven tactics that are already being used. It’s put into a format that is easily trainable and digestible.”

Forty-five officers will participate in the training. They represent law enforcement agencies in Arkansas, California, Guam, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

The research-based training will include classroom discussion of best practices as well as hands-on scenarios.

***There will be media availability 10-11 am, Wednesday, November 3. For more information, contact Lola Alapo at 865-974-1094 or lalapo@utk.edu.