The California Association of Tactical Officers (CATO) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a reputation for excellence, integrity, and innovation. The field of tactics as it relates to law enforcement is so much more than traditional types of “tactical responses.”

We believe that well-educated and equipped officers are better prepared to serve their communities when they have extensive training on how to resolve tactical incidents in the safest manner possible. CATO goes beyond standard training by creating programs that expand the “tactical toolboxes” of officers with hands-on experience and knowledge shared by industry experts.

In the mid-1960s, the concept of special weapons and tactics teams was first conceived and implemented by the Los Angeles Police Department. Since that time, law enforcement agencies across the country have realized the need for specially trained and equipped police personnel to resolve an ever-increasing number of dangerous situations. No matter which acronym is used (SWAT, SRT, ERT, etc.) these teams of highly trained professionals are tasked with resolving some of the most hazardous of all law enforcement incidents. The California Association of Tactical Officers CATO) believes there is no acceptable casualty rate for law enforcement personnel. In particular, CATO has focused its efforts upon improving the safety, education, and sharing of vital tactical information among its members.