OAG and GPD to expand de-escalation training in Guam

November 9, 2021 | Comments Off on OAG and GPD to expand de-escalation training in Guam
AG Camacho, Chief Deputy AG Taitano, and Police Chief Steve Ignacio stand with members of their law enforcement team who are now certified as ICAT train-the-trainers. 

November 09, 2021 – Tamuning, Guam- As part of Attorney General Leevin T. Camacho and Chief of Police Stephen Ignacio’s continued commitment to work together to improve public safety, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the Guam Police Department (GPD) have teamed up to bring the most current de-escalation techniques to Guam.

Three members of GPD and an OAG investigator recently attended a train-the-trainer de-escalation training conducted by one of the country’s premier law enforcement training programs, Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics or “ICAT”. The four law enforcement officers are now certified to conduct ICAT training in Guam for others.


“Protecting our people is our number one priority, and ICAT provides additional tools to help keep police officers and the people they interact with each day safer,” said Attorney General Camacho. “We will continue to work together with Chief Ignacio and his team at GPD to deliver on our commitment to improve public safety.”


Research evaluating the impact of ICAT training revealed a 28% reduction in use of force by Louisville, Kentucky Metro Police Department in 2019. It also showed a 26% decline in citizen injuries and a 36% reduction in officer injuries.

“The Guam Police Department would like to thank the Attorney General for funding the training of several officers in the ICAT Use of Force program. This is a train-the-trainer program which will now allow certified officers to conduct this course,” stated Chief of Police Stephen Ignacio.


“We look forward to the initial implementation of the training in the ongoing combined police training academy. The training curriculum will also be presented to the Guam POST Commission for review and to be voted on for adoption as an accepted training by the commission for all incoming and current peace officers,” he added.


ICAT, which was developed by the Police Executive Research Forum with input from hundreds of police professionals from across the United States, provides first-responding officers with tools, skills, and options to successfully and safely defuse situations. ICAT training is designed specifically for situations involving persons who are unarmed or armed with weapons other than firearms, and who may be experiencing a mental health, substance use, or other crisis.
The OAG and GPD are currently working on updating GPD’s Use of Force Policy, which will include a framework that can be adopted by all local law enforcement agencies.