Officer Training

Best-in-class training and professional development

The Indiana University Police Department's culture of training excellence and commitment to public safety has served as a model for agencies within Indiana and nationally. The IUPD's progressive approach was created in collaboration with IU faculty and other public safety subject matter experts.

IUPD officer training programs are a key element of the agency's community policing initiatives and extend beyond the mandated requirements of the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board.

All IUPD officers and IU Police Academy recruits undergo extensive training that prioritizes the needs of the communities they serve. These include the following nationally-recognized and evidenced-based training programs:

  • Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement
  • Police Executive Research Forum’s Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics 
  • Mental Health First Aid
  • Procedural Justice 
  • Fair and Impartial Policing
  • Trauma-informed sexual assault investigations training
A young IUPD officer plays lawn frisbee in front of an audience of students and fellow officers, on the IU East campus.

IUPD officer training programs

Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement

Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) training prepares officers to successfully intervene to prevent misconduct, avoid police mistakes and promote officer health and wellness. This training reflects IU's commitment to fostering a culture of law enforcement that supports and sustains peer intervention among officers.

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Fair and Impartial Policing

Fair and Impartial Policing is a research-based program focused on training officers to recognize their own implicit biases and how to manage them, both on and off duty.

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Mental Health First Aid

Since police officers are often the first to arrive on the scene of an emergency, it is critical that they receive training on mental health issues. All IUPD officers are trained in mental health first aid, which is a critical component of de-escalating a tense situation when encountering an individual having a mental health crisis. Mental health first aid training is also offered to anyone in the IU community, similarly to CPR training.

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Police Executive Research Forum’s Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics

Developed by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics (ICAT) is a nationally recognized program that trains IUPD officers to safely de-escalate a wide variety of situations without the use of firearms.

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Procedural Justice

Like Fair and Impartial Policing, Procedural Justice training focuses on understanding implicit bias, but has a social justice and historical component that helps officers better understand the wide range of backgrounds and perspectives that may influence interactions with police. Procedural Justice training is currently being implemented across all IUPD divisions, and is an important part of the agency's commitment to building strong relationships with all members of the IU community.

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Trauma-informed sexual assault investigations training

Through trauma-informed sexual assault investigations training, IUPD officers are educated on the science of trauma and its impact on the human brain and on behavior. This training strengthens officers' ability to be effective and compassionate with victims who may be experiencing the effects of trauma. All IUPD officers are required to receive this training, which is primarily offered through the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) as well as in partnership with other Indiana University groups and organizations.

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