Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act (LEDTA)

The Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act of 2022 (LEDTA) directs the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to develop, identify, and certify training curricula that help law enforcement officers and covered mental health professionals safely respond to conflict or crisis situations.

LEDTA references the DOJ's use of national standards to identify and certify existing training programs that must address one or more of the following:

De-escalation tactics and alternatives to the use of force;

Safely responding to an individual experiencing a mental, behavioral health, or suicidal crisis, or an individual with a disability, including techniques and strategies that are designed to protect the safety of that individual, law enforcement officers, mental health professionals, and the public;

Successfully participating in a Crisis Intervention Team; and

Making referrals to community-based mental and behavioral health services and support, housing assistance programs, public benefits programs, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and other services.

— Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act of 2022

The COPS Office, in collaboration with the National Policing Institute (NPI), conducted an in-depth review of research, best practices, and field perspectives to develop the National Standards for Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training. The National Standards were extensively reviewed and vetted by internal federal agency representatives and external stakeholders to ensure they met the requirements of LEDTA, reflected generally accepted practices, and minimized the burden on law enforcement agencies wherever possible.

The 14 National Standards cover the development, delivery, and content of practitioner training. Law enforcement agencies and public or private training entities are encouraged to follow these National Standards to ensure their training curricula meet the minimum accepted practices under LEDTA.

National Standards for Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training

Review all 14 National Standards for training development, delivery, and content.

View the National Standards

To learn more about LEDTA, please visit LEDTAtraining.org.

Certification Process

The COPS Office and NPI review training programs submitted by public and private entities. The process has four stages:

1Submission

The training organization submits its training package via the LEDTA portal.

2Assessment

The training package is reviewed by multiple subject matter experts, who evaluate it against the published National Standards and make a recommendation to the COPS Office.

3COPS Office Decision

The COPS Office Acting Director makes the final determination on the certification.

4Notification

The final decision is sent to the training organization, along with any feedback to enhance the training.
If certified, the training is added to the LEDTA Training Catalog for a three-year certification period.
If not certified, the organization receives feedback and an offer of technical assistance — there is no limit to the number of times an organization can attempt to certify a specific training.

Submit Training for LEDTA Certification

Public and private training entities can submit a program for review against the National Standards.

Start Your Submission

Certified Training Catalog

The following training courses met the requirements outlined in the National Standards for Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training to receive LEDTA certification from the COPS Office.

Note: the three rows below are placeholder examples showing the table and search layout. Replace with the actual certified-course data before publishing.


No trainings have been certified yet – check back soon
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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.

There are several benefits to submitting your organization's de-escalation or crisis response training for review. These benefits can include:

Credibility: Your training is confirmed to meet federally vetted National Standards, increasing trust among agencies and stakeholders.
Visibility: Certified training courses are listed in the public Certified Training Catalog, where agencies can find your program.
Funding access: LEDTA provides congressionally approved funding for agencies to implement certified training programs.
Feedback: If your training isn't approved, you'll receive detailed feedback and technical assistance to help you get there.

To submit a training application, please register for an account and complete the application at Login - LEDTA Website.

No, this service is provided to training organizations free of charge.

Each training application will be assessed according to criteria provided in the National Standards. Training materials will be scored using the pre-determined rubric focused on two areas: (1) training development and delivery, and (2) training content.

If you have questions about LEDTA, the national standards, the certified training catalog, or are experiencing issues with any portion of the LEDTA portal or its content, contact the project team via the "contact us" form at Contact - LEDTA Implementation. Please allow up to two business days for a response.

The COPS Office funds law enforcement agencies, law enforcement academies, state-level training commissions, and organizations that provide regional de-escalation training through the Safer Outcomes: Enhancing De-Escalation and Crisis Response Training for Law Enforcement program. To learn more, please visit Safer Outcomes | COPS OFFICE.

Please reach out to your assigned COPS Office program manager to discuss any implications.

On August 5, 2026, the COPS Office released the National Standards and the certification process. The National Standards and the process are subject to modification.