In 2010, the Indianapolis Metro PD developed a comprehensive approach to responding to officer involved shootings (OIS) and other critical officer incidents, with a dual focus on investigation and maintaining officer health. This holistic response has resulted in officers receiving pre-incident inoculation, post incident health related resources, completing a mental health check-up, fulfilling their investigative responsibilities and internal review, and returning to full duty-healthy-usually within a two week period after the incident.
The IMPD officer involved shooting and critical incident response model is segmented into pre-critical incident preparation and post incident 24 hour response increments: 0-24 hours, 24-48 hours, 48-72 hours, 72-96 hours and beyond. The model focuses on stress and trauma inoculation before the critical incident and responding to the officer post incident with a methodology involving triage and support resources. This preparation and response results in the officer being better equipped to survive a critical incident, assist investigators post incident, while also being pro-actively engaged in long-term healthy practices.
It is accepted that the law enforcement agency must prioritize the investigation of the OIS and critical incidents, and respond to public, media, internal and external inquiry. This responsibility does not have to come at the expense of agency recognition of the long-term psychological and physical health needs of the officer. The IMPD officer involved shooting and critical incident model partners the agency and the officer with internal and external resources to ensure the physical and mental health needs of the officer are being addressed long before the OIS or critical incident occurs.
The IMPD officer involved shooting and critical incident response model is supported by the agency and endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police representing IMPD officers. Based on its innovative officer wellness and resiliency programs which include the OIS and critical incident response protocol, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department was awarded the 2015 Destination Zero Valor Award for Officer and Agency Wellness by the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
| Capt. Brian Nanavaty (Ret.)
Captain Brian Nanavaty retired in 2017 after 33 years with the Indianapolis Metro Police Department (IMPD) where in 2010 he created the IMPD Office of Professional Development and Wellness (OPDW) and served as Professional Performance Manager. His innovative programs created a culture of health at IMPD and a reduction of officer disciplinary referrals by 40%.
During his career and in retirement Nanavaty continues to instruct officers, executives, union officials, insurance providers and clinicians in the areas of personal and career survival for the Department of Justice (DOJ), the FBI, Safe Call Now, the Dolan Consulting Group and at major conferences including IACP, ILEETA, IADLEST, NOBLE, FOP and EAPA conferences. Nanavaty was a headline presenter at the 2017 National Crime Summit and has been featured on Police One.com and in Law and Order magazine and the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin.
Nanavaty currently serves on the FBINAA and Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Safety and Wellness Committees where he assisted in the legislation for the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (2018). As part of his committee duties he has also designed a training portal for members and vets treatment and recovery facilities for first responders. Nanavaty additionally serves on the Executive Board of the National Institute for Public Safety Health, is a member of the Critical Incident Stress Management working group for the IACP Policy Center and is a consultant with the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) on officer wellness issues.
In 2015, Nanavaty and IMPD received the inaugural Destination Zero Valor Award from the DOJ and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) for his officer and agency wellness programs and in 2016, in addition to appearing in front of the US Congress on the issue of officer wellness, Nanavaty was a finalist for the prestigious International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Officer of the Year award. In 2016, the White House sent US Attorney General Loretta Lynch to Indianapolis as part of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing where Lynch stated “Captain Nanavaty’s officer and agency wellness program in Indianapolis should be the model for law enforcement across the US.”
In 2016, Nanavaty and IMPD were awarded the BJA/COPS Microgrant for Officer Safety and Wellness and were represented in the BJA/COPS Officer Safety and Wellness Group and chronicled in the BJA/COPS Improving Law Enforcement Resilience publication October 2016. In 2019, Nanavaty’s groundbreaking work at IMPD was part of the 11 successful agency case studies summarized in the DOJ’s Report to Congress (March 2019).
Captain Nanavaty attended Franklin College (IN), Drew University (NJ), and the University of Virginia. He is a graduate of the 255th Session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico VA. From 1994-2003 he was Adjunct Professor of Criminal Justice at Indiana and Purdue Universities.
| Officer James Gray (Ret.)
James Gray is a 23 year veteran of the Indianapolis Metro Police Department, having spent the majority of that time on the street. He is also 18.5 year member of SWAT having recently retired from the team in April of 2015. He is currently assigned to the Firearms Range within the Training Division.
Consent Questions
Course Workbook
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Day 1: Section 4
Day 1: Section 5
Day 1: Section 6
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Day 2: Section 3
Day 2: Section 4
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