New ICAT training program provided to WPD

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Wichita Police Department implemented a new training course called Integrated Communications and Tactics or ICAT.

This program is meant to provide first-responding police officers with the tools, skills, and options they need to defuse a range of critical incidents successfully and safely.

“It’s a de-escalation program that takes everything that law enforcement already does nationally but packs it into a program for officers to keep in the forefront of their mind.” WPD Sergeant Erik Guzman said.

This is similar to the Crisis Intervention Training that officers went through in October which focused more on mental health. The ICAT training also deals with mental health but emphasizes situations involving those who are unarmed or armed with weapons other than guns.

“We all want to go home, and we all want to make sure that everyone goes home.” WPD Chief Joe Sullivan said. “Someone in mental health crisis, we want to do everything we can to try and get them into custody safely and get them the help that they need and deserve.”

This training program started in Scotland, where officers don’t carry firearms and has been adopted by other police departments around the country where complaints of excessive force and injuries by an officer have gone down.

Every commissioned member of the WPD will have this completed training by Dec. 6.