Indiana University Police Department to require training in hopes of preventing misconduct

BLOOMINGTON — The Indiana University Police Department announced in a statement that full-time officers on every campus are now required to receive Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) training.

ABLE training is offered by the Georgetown Law Center for Innovations and Community Safety.

The training is to prevent misconduct and mistakes and to promote health among the officers. The training focuses on peer intervention and preparing officers to step in to prevent harm to themselves and others.

According to the report, IUPD’s goal is to have every officer trained by August. The first classes were held this month.

“When you recognize a situation where intervention is needed and you step in, it’s because you have respect for your fellow officer,” Hannah Skibba, IUPD public information officer, said. “The best person to help an officer is another officer.”

The exercises in the training include self-reflection and small-group discussion. The class also reads through case studies, identifying moments where officers could have stepped in to prevent harm.

Indiana University is the first higher education institute in Indiana to require training for its campus police.