Law enforcement officers serve as the first responders for most 911 calls, including crisis situations that may be related to behavioral health conditions and disabilities. However, law enforcement officers often lack comprehensive training and guidance on managing these calls safely and effectively. With the support of the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the National Policing Institute (NPI), in partnership with the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), will develop national standards for de-escalation training and policies and a national model curriculum that enhances law enforcement response to crises. This collaboration aims to support the safety and effectiveness of police interactions with individuals experiencing crisis by implementing evidence-informed best practices in use of force, de-escalation, and crisis response policies and training. Over 36 months, NPI and PERF will:

1. Develop national standards to guide the certification of de-escalation training programs: Informed by research, best practices, and perspectives from policing, behavioral health, disability, and civil rights practitioners, this guidance will be developed to support the Department of Justice in its review and certification of police de-escalation training curricula.
2. Create and pilot an evidence-informed de-escalation training curriculum for police officers: NPI and PERF will develop a national model for de-escalation training based on two well-established training programs–the BJA’s Crisis Response and Intervention Training (CRIT) and PERF’s Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics (ICAT) training; NPI and PERF will also pilot the model training in three law enforcement agencies. Complementary tools, including a Train-the-Trainer and an Implementation Toolkit, will be developed and provided to support agencies in delivering the training.
3. Provide technical assistance: A cadre of diverse subject matter experts will be available to review police de-escalation policies, procedures, and training and provide recommendations to align with national standards.