The future of law enforcement and especially tactical operations is not to remain strictly adhered to what we’ve learned in the past. CATO, its leadership and its members, are devoted to identifying trends and preparing our roles for present and future missions. There is strength in numbers and to this purpose we share the task of building membership and as an organization emphasizing training, education, collaboration, and camaraderie.
If you are a member, thanks for joining. If you’re not a member, take a look around the website, connect with the CATO regional representative in your area and make a commitment to excellence in your chosen profession, advancing your skills, championing education and training, and lending a hand to strengthening the tactical community. There are many ways to become involved.
CATO welcomes qualified individuals from across the country or around the world. A large and diverse base of highly trained and skilled members adds to the quality and quantity of services available. Membership is open to current and former members of law enforcement or military. A Full Membership in the Association will be open to any law enforcement officer employed by a Governmental agency (including Military) who is a current or former member of the SWAT Team, K9 handlers, Negotiators, or Narcotic Enforcement Officers. An Associate Membership in the Association will be open to persons interested in advancing the Association and its goals, pending the approval of the Board. The following are eligible for CATO membership:
- Active, reserve and honorably retired American sworn peace officers
- Active and honorably retired American military personnel, whether Reserve, Regular, or National Guard
- Active and honorably retired Canadian sworn peace officers
- Active and honorably retired Canadian military personnel, whether Reserve, Regular, or National Guard
- Civilian employees of a law enforcement agency upon recommendation from a sworn supervisor or tactical unit commander.
- Other candidates, not meeting the listed criteria will be considered on a case by case basis by petitioning the CATO Board
With all aspects of CATO, we consider the end-user foremost in our decision-making process and know that most members pay their own way. With that in mind, we have membership opportunities that fit all budgets:
- Digital Membership – $15 a year
- Receive a digital copy of CATO News magazine (no printed copy)
- Plus all member benefits
- Individual Membership – $40 a year
- Receive a digital and printed copy of CATO News magazine
- Plus all member benefits
- Team Membership
- Departments wishing to make a single payment for multiple enrollments, or Agencies previously using a Team Membership, fill out this form, email to Brent Stratton and he can take your payment over the phone, or you can send the payment via PayPal (catomembership@gmail.com).
(Because CATO is now offering features and discounts available only to CATO members, there was no way to vet members of teams. Accordingly, CATO needs to be able to verify each member who has access to sensitive information, features and discounts.)
Benefits of membership include the quarterly CATO News magazine comprised of thought provoking and cutting edge articles, discounts on tactical training and the annual conference, and access to many noted experts in the tactical community. Coming shortly, we hope to add a searchable database of past issues of the CATO News magazines for easy reference.
The roles and missions of specific interest to this organization include:
- Scouts
- Snipers
- Negotiators
- Tactical emergency medical personnel
- K9 officers
- Trainers
- Equipment buyers
- Team leaders
- Team commanders
- Law enforcement decision makers
Note: Prior to membership approval, proof of current or former employment is required. Once the form below is completely filled out and subscription fee is paid for, the user profile will be marked pending until proof of user’s employment has been reviewed by the CATONews.org vetting committee.
When paying for a subscription with a DEBIT/CREDIT CARD, the email address cannot match one that is already linked to an existing PayPal account.
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