FAQ 1: What is the Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act (LEDTA)?
Signed into law in December 2022, LEDTA aims to support the development, assessment, and implementation of de-escalation training programs for law enforcement and covered mental health professionals. It requires the review and approval of de-escalation training and other related curricula for these populations (see FAQ 5 below). LEDTA requires the use of a ‘standards-based assessment’ for the review and certification of training curricula. For more in-depth information on LEDTA, please see About the Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act (2022).
FAQ 2: Who is the National Policing Institute (NPI)?
The National Policing Institute is a nonpartisan and independent nonprofit organization dedicated to creating excellence in policing through the development, translation, and application of research. NPI has been provided with funding from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, to assist in the review and approval of de-escalation training programs on behalf of the Department of Justice.
FAQ 3: Who is the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR)?
IIR is a nonprofit, values-based organization and an expert in developing and organizing multidimensional programs for criminal justice partners. IIR has a long-standing history of designing, developing, and maintaining leading-edge websites on behalf of the Department of Justice. As a collaborator on this project, the IIR team is responsible for developing and managing the online platform training submission process and the public catalog of approved training curricula.
FAQ 4: Why should I submit my training for review?
There are several benefits to submitting your organization’s de-escalation or crisis response training for review. These benefits can include:
- Training programs are confirmed to meet federally vetted National Standards for Law Enforcement De-escalation Training, informed by research, best practices, and field perspectives. This confirmation benefits training organizations by ensuring credibility and compliance with recognized benchmarks, thereby increasing trust among agencies and stakeholders. It also positions the organization as a reliable provider of high-quality training, which can enhance reputation, increase training adoption, and potentially open opportunities for additional partnerships.
- Organizations that submit a training curriculum not approved through the standards-based assessment process receive detailed feedback and/or technical assistance from subject matter expert reviewers to improve their training.
- Organizations that submit a training curriculum meeting or exceeding National Standards will have their training listed in a public-facing catalog, where interested agencies and stakeholders can access information about available programs.
- LEDTA provides congressionally approved funding for agencies to access and implement these approved training programs. Additional information on funding access will be forthcoming.
FAQ 5: What types of training should be submitted for review?
The National Standards apply to core, comprehensive end-user de-escalation training curricula designed to train practitioners directly (e.g., law enforcement officers and covered mental health professionals). Although we do not have National Standards specifically for train-the-trainer curricula, the de-escalation or crisis response base training materials are eligible for submission and certification.
FAQ 6: Who can submit an application?
Any organization that delivers comprehensive training focused on de-escalation and crisis response for law enforcement and covered mental health professionals (e.g., those employed by law enforcement agencies) can submit their training for review. Both public and private training entities are encouraged to submit their curricula for assessment. Training materials should be submitted by organizational staff responsible for developing and maintaining training content and delivery. Training materials should only be submitted by organizations that have developed the training. If you are an organization or provider that is using a training developed by another group, please contact the developer.
FAQ 7: Do I need an account to submit a training application?
Yes, to submit a training application, please request a contributor account.
FAQ 8: What should I plan to upload for my submission?
To submit your organization’s training for review, you should be prepared to answer basic questions about the training and to upload materials used in its development or delivery. Please provide all materials used to prepare instructors and to train participants; summaries or outlines of these materials are not sufficient. Required curriculum materials include (but are not limited to):
- Training Matrix/Agenda
- Lesson Plan/Instructor Guide
- PowerPoints or other presentation materials
- Participant Guide or other participant materials
- Assessments/Tests/Evaluation Tools
- Scenario Instructions
FAQ 9: Does it cost anything to submit my training materials for review?
No, this service is provided to training organizations free of charge.
FAQ 10: What happens after I submit an application?
Yes, to submit a training application, please request a contributor account. For further instructions on how to create an account, please see FAQ 13 below.
FAQ 11: What criteria will be used to assess my organization’s training?
Each training application will be assessed according to the criteria provided in the National Standards. Training materials will be scored using a pre-determined rubric focused on two areas: (1) training development and delivery, and (2) training content.
FAQ 12: If our organization’s training is approved, will other organizations have access to our training materials?
No. Training materials are used exclusively for the standards-based review process. All materials are held privately and securely by the LEDTA review team and are not shared publicly.
Technical Support
FAQ 13: How do I create an account?
To create a contributor account for training submission, please navigate to our submission site, where you will click the [Request Account] button and fill in the requested information. Your account should be verified and approved within two business days.
FAQ 14: What if I didn't receive an account confirmation or password reset email?
If you did not receive an email to confirm an account and/or reset a password within 5 minutes of submitting the request, please confirm it has not gone to your spam/junk folder. If you still do not have the email, please use the [Contact] button on the top right of this page and allow up to two business days for a response.
FAQ 15: Who should I contact for technical support?
If you are experiencing issues with any portion of the website or its content, contact the project team by using the [Contact] button on the top right of this page. Please allow up to two business days for a response.