The feedback we have received from our instructors has been overwhelmingly positive, despite the fact that ABLE pushes officers to rethink much about current police culture and challenges officers to tackle difficult issues, from preventing misconduct, to telling a ranking officer they are about to make a mistake, to having a courageous conversation with a colleague facing mental health issues.

Below is a sampling of some of the feedback we have received. We thank these officers not only for their candid comments, but for their willingness to share them publicly.

“ABLE training is put together and structured very well. The facilitators are genuine people that bring passion and expertise to the learning environment. I not only left the training thinking I can be a better Police Officer but maybe a better person.”
– Sergeant John Magee, Hamilton County (OH) Sheriff’s Office

“ABLE addresses the concerns of both the public and law enforcement. While being sensitive to public perception, this is a course that emphasizes officer safety and prevention. This is about saving careers not ending them!”
– Captain Lafate Elliott Day Jr., Lafource Parish (LA) Sheriff’s Office

“Officers are well-trained and very comfortable in taking control of stressful scenes during their shifts, however, we have traditionally failed our cops by not teaching them how to help one another when they are in their own stressful situations. The collateral benefits of Project ABLE will positively impact our officers, our agencies, and the members of the communities we serve every day. Focusing on our people through a positively-framed training program like ABLE will send the right message to those on the frontlines and to those that they serve.”
– Lieutenant William D. Walsh, Voorhees (NJ) Police Department

“This training is long overdue, but I am confident the members of my agency will not only receive the information, but will refer to their training when faced with making ethical and moral choices. Every law enforcement agency should adopt this training!”
– Acting Deputy Chief Deirdre R. Jones, Cleveland Division of Police

“As an African American male after the George Floyd incident I struggled with where do I placed myself. I have the community and friends that look like me feeling in uproar towards officers while looking to me for answers. On the other side I am a sworn officer with obligations to to protect and serve. I was at a lost. Stuck in space wondering how I could serve both without judgement and or scrutiny. I starting doing some investigation and I came across a perfect solution to my dilemma. That solution was ABLE! ABLE has given me the necessary tools to be the change by teaching and expressing the need for active bystandership through intervention and prevention. Thanks for the assistance!!”
– Warden Cortrell Davis, Lafourche Parish (LA) Sheriff’s Office

“At first I did not believe this topic would be embraced by officers at all. But now I feel that these concepts could actually be the cornerstone of teamwork and morale building for the officers of any Police Department.”
– Officer Keith Ryan, City of Yonkers Police Department

“An ABLE minded officer is an ethical officer. This class is central to making well rounded officers, and for an officer to survive a 20 year career. Definitely recommend all LEO take this class.”
– Lieutenant Peter D. Russell, New Hampshire Police Standards and Training Council

“The first session that I was in, I didn’t know what ABLE was all about and how it would fit into our agency. Sitting in these sessions with all the professional instructors with ABLE and the experienced Law Enforcement Officers in the sessions, I got a real good understanding of what ABLE is and how much that it will not only help our agency and our community but law enforcement as a whole throughout this country. I am so excited with presenting this well needed project to our agency.”
– Captain Kelvin Hargrove, Wilmington (NC) Police Department

“The ABLE program gives clear guidance on intervention techniques that have proven successful in both the public and private sector. The program educates employees in strategies that will assist them in being an active bystander as well as on the skills and actions needed to intervene in situations amongst peers, subordinates, and superiors before mistakes or misconduct escalates to devastating results. I look forward to implementing the ABLE program as part of the Academy curriculum.”
– Captain Phillip Terenzi, Boston Police Department

“I did not know exactly what to expect when I came to class. However, it became clear to me early on that ABLE is something special and different. It is because of that specialness and differentness that sets it apart from other types of training that try – but fail – to establish a mindset of accountability for not only ourselves; but our brothers and sisters, as well. The top – down / bottom – up approach will change the traditional way of thinking: rock – paper – rank. Why? Because it empowers all of us to be Active Bystanders. One person can make a difference. I consider myself to be ready, willing, and ABLE.”
– Lieutenant Justin I. Paquette, New Hampshire Police Standards & Training Council

“Taking the ABLE training course has enABLEed me to enABLE others to help save lives, careers, reputations, and police-to-community relationships. I have been empowered to strategically and tactically empower other police personnel, regardless of rank, to invoke themselves into others’ situations, personal and/or professional, for the subject’s best interests. This course literally teaches ‘trained observers’ how to look for and recognize often overlooked crises. Every professional, especially those in high-stress/high-risk positions, MUST receive ABLE training. It is literally a life-saving, career-saving empowerment!”
– Sergeant Tim Veal, Philadelphia Police Department