Baltimore is one of seven pilot cities to get specialized police training designed to diffuse situations involving mentally ill people. Download the WBAL app The scenario training demonstrate ways that officers can diffuse a situation when they get called to the scene of a mentally ill person with a bat. The Baltimore Police Department is getting the Integrated Communication Assessment and Tactics (ICAT) training. "We have 180 people, we have about 60 departments from the East Coast, and we are doing this with Baltimore, showing them how to diffuse volatile situations," said Chuck Wexler, whose company, Police Executive Research Forum, runs the program. Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said all 3,000 officers in the city have had this training, which is something he said wasn't available in the police academy. "They've never been taught differently, so this ICAT is a different way of looking at police responses that seemingly involve a use of force, and if we can avoid deadly force in particular, it's well worth the effort," Davis said. "It's all about communication. It's about tactics. It's about using time and distance. It's about teaching officers how to engage with people," Wexler said. The program teaches officers what options are available to help them safely de-escalate situations that can quickly turn deadly.

Baltimore is one of seven pilot cities to get specialized police training designed to diffuse situations involving mentally ill people.

Download the WBAL app




The scenario training demonstrate ways that officers can diffuse a situation when they get called to the scene of a mentally ill person with a bat. The Baltimore Police Department is getting the Integrated Communication Assessment and Tactics (ICAT) training.

"We have 180 people, we have about 60 departments from the East Coast, and we are doing this with Baltimore, showing them how to diffuse volatile situations," said Chuck Wexler, whose company, Police Executive Research Forum, runs the program.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said all 3,000 officers in the city have had this training, which is something he said wasn't available in the police academy.

"They've never been taught differently, so this ICAT is a different way of looking at police responses that seemingly involve a use of force, and if we can avoid deadly force in particular, it's well worth the effort," Davis said.

"It's all about communication. It's about tactics. It's about using time and distance. It's about teaching officers how to engage with people," Wexler said.

The program teaches officers what options are available to help them safely de-escalate situations that can quickly turn deadly.