Major Sam Cochran (retired)
Sam Cochran is currently in service with the University of Memphis CIT Center. He continues to participate in national, state and local speaking engagements about the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) model – as a community program. In addition, Sam Cochran offers services within experiential training of CIT verbal de-escalation. CIT presentations have included: National public radio stations, CBS Television 60 Minutes II and at the White House Conference on Mental Health. During his 33 years in law enforcement, Major Cochran served in both the uniform patrol and investigative divisions, and was a Training Academy Instructor.
He is nationally known for his work in the field of crisis intervention. In addition to receiving the City University of New York (CUNY) John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement News Person of the Year Award (2000), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has named their annual law enforcement advocacy award after him. He has worked with police departments throughout the nation as well as departments in Canada, Australia, and England.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and a Master's degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Email Sam Cochran at cscchran@memphis.edu