2019 -- H 6007

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LC002438

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - POLICE OFFICERS -

COMMISSION ON STANDARDS AND TRAINING

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Bennett, Shekarchi, Hull, Jacquard, and Craven

     Date Introduced: April 12, 2019

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-28.2-8.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-28.2 entitled "Police

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Officers - Commission on Standards and Training" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-28.2-8.3. Educational requirements -- National certified mental health first aid

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training. Educational requirements – Training on calls involving individuals with

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behavioral health, substance use disorder, cognitive or communication-related disabilities.

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     (a) The commission on standards and training shall prepare and publish mandatory

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training standards to provide instructions for police officers in identifying and handling of

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complaints involving mental health/substance abuse emergencies, and victims, witnesses, or

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suspects with mental illness or substance use disorders and shall develop guidelines for law

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enforcement responses to incidents involving such persons. The course of instruction shall

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comply with the certified National Council of Behavioral Health Mental Health First Aid

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Program (MHFA) for law enforcement. Instruction and the guidelines shall include:

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     (1) Identifying and recognizing mental illness or substance use disorders for the benefit

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of victims and witnesses, the availability of civil remedies and community resources for persons

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experiencing mental health emergencies, and the protection of persons with mental illness or

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substance use disorders and for law enforcement officers engaging such persons;

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     (2) Providing information to law enforcement officers to recognize the signs and

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symptoms of common mental illnesses and substance use disorders, de-escalating crisis situations

 

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safely, and initiating timely referral to mental health and substance abuse resources available in

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the community.

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     (b) The commission on standards and training shall prepare and publish mandatory

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training standards to provide instructions for police officers in identifying and handling of

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complaints involving victims, witnesses, or suspects with cognitive or communication-related

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disabilities and shall develop guidelines for law enforcement responses to incidents involving

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such persons. Instruction and guidelines shall include:

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     (1) Identifying and recognizing cognitive and communication-related disabilities for the

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benefit of victims and witnesses, the availability of community resources for persons

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experiencing emergencies, and the protection of persons with cognitive and communication-

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related disabilities and for law enforcement officers engaging such persons.

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     (2) Providing information to law enforcement officers to recognize the signs and

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symptoms of common cognitive and communication-related disabilities, de-escalating crisis

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situations safely, and initiating timely referral to resources available in the community.

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     (b)(c) The commission shall include training in all curricula for recruits and in-service

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trainees, in all police academies operating or certified by the commission. All law enforcement

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trainees shall be certified by the National Council of Behavioral Health in Mental Health First

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Aid.

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     (c)(d) All law enforcement trainees shall participate in the course of basic training for law

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enforcement officers, established in this section, as part of their required certification process.

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     (d)(e) Training presenters shall include behavioral health, developmental disabilities and

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communication disabilities practitioners with expertise in the delivery of direct services to

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individuals experiencing mental health or substance abuse emergencies and victims, witnesses,

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and suspects with mental illness, cognitive disabilities, communication-related disabilities and

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consumer-survivors i.e. individuals with mental illness, cognitive disabilities, communication-

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related disabilities or substance use disorders. Training presentations may utilize the staff of

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community-based mental health treatment facilities.

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     (e)(f) The course of instruction, the learning and performance objectives, the standards

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for training, and the guidelines shall be developed by the municipal police training committee in

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consultation with groups and individuals having an interest and expertise in the field of mental

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health, cognitive disabilities, communication-related disabilities and community-based treatment.

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     (f)(g) The municipal police training committee periodically shall include within its in-

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service training curriculum a course of instruction on handling complaints from or against

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persons with mental illness, cognitive disabilities, communication-related disabilities or substance

 

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use disorders, consistent with the provisions of subsections (a)(1), and (a)(2), (b)(1) and (b)(2) of

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this section.

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     (h) The commission on standards and training shall prepare and publish mandatory

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training standards to provide instruction for police detectives in investigating and handling

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complaints involving victims, witnesses or suspects with cognitive or communication-related

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disabilities and shall develop guidelines for detectives responding to incidents involving such

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persons.

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     (i) The commission on standards and training shall include and require training in the

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curricula described in subsection (h) of this section for all newly commissioned police detectives

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and in-service trainees, in all police academies operated or certified by the commission.

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     (g)(j) As used in this section, the following words and terms shall have the following

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meanings:

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     (1) "Law enforcement officer" shall mean any officer of a municipal police department or

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a department of the state.

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     (2) "Consumer-survivor" shall mean any individual suffering from mental health

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disability, cognitive disabilities, communication-related disabilities or substance abuse disorder.

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     (3) "Police detective" means any detective of a municipal police department or a

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department in the state.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - POLICE OFFICERS -

COMMISSION ON STANDARDS AND TRAINING

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     This act would require the commission on standards and training to provide training and

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instructions for police officers and trainees in order to more accurately identify complaints

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involving persons with cognitive or communication-related disabilities and to develop law

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enforcement responses to such emergencies, including training for police detectives investigating

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such complaints.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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