Bill Text: CA SB11 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Peace officer training: mental health.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-3)

Status: (Passed) 2015-10-03 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 468, Statutes of 2015. [SB11 Detail]

Download: California-2015-SB11-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: SB 11	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 1, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 15, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 23, 2015
	AMENDED IN SENATE  FEBRUARY 26, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Senators Beall and Mitchell
   (Coauthors: Senators Anderson,  Galgiani,  Hancock,
Hertzberg, Leno, Liu, Monning, and Stone)
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Chávez, Frazier,  Low,  and
Maienschein)

                        DECEMBER 1, 2014

   An act to add Sections 13515.26 and 13515.27 to the Penal Code,
relating to peace officer training standards.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 11, as amended, Beall. Peace officer training: mental health.
   Existing law requires specified categories of law enforcement
officers to meet training standards pursuant to courses of training
certified by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training
(POST). Existing law requires POST to include in its basic training
course adequate instruction in the handling of persons with
developmental disabilities or mental illness, or both. Existing law
also requires POST to establish and keep updated a continuing
education classroom training course relating to law enforcement
interaction with developmentally disabled and mentally ill persons.
   This bill would require POST to include in its basic training
course a promising or evidence-based behavioral health classroom
training course and instructor-led active learning, such as
scenario-based training, to train law enforcement officers to
recognize, deescalate, and refer persons with mental illness or
intellectual disability who are in crisis. The bill would require
that this promising or evidence-based behavioral health classroom
training course and instructor-led active learning take place in the
academy, be  at least  20 hours long, and be in
addition to the current hour requirement leading to the basic
certificate issued by POST.
   The bill would also require POST to establish and keep updated a
promising or evidence-based behavioral health continuing training
course that is equivalent in importance to the perishable skills
training provided by POST. The bill would require that this promising
or evidence-based behavioral health continuing training course be
 a minimum of  4 consecutive hours. The bill would
require each law enforcement officer with a rank of supervisor or
below and who is assigned to patrol duties or to supervise officers
who are assigned to patrol duties to complete this course every 4
years.
   By imposing additional training costs on local law enforcement
agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 13515.26 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
   13515.26.  (a) The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and
Training shall establish and keep updated a promising or
evidence-based behavioral health classroom training course and
instructor-led active learning, such as scenario-based training,
relating to law enforcement interaction with persons with mental
illness as part of its basic training course for law enforcement
officers. This promising or evidence-based behavioral health
classroom training course and instructor-led active learning shall
train officers to recognize, deescalate, and refer persons with
mental illness or intellectual disability who are in crisis.
   (b) This promising or evidence-based behavioral health classroom
training course and instructor-led active learning shall address
issues relating to stigma, shall be culturally relevant and
appropriate, and shall include all of the following topics:
   (1) The cause and nature of mental illnesses and intellectual
disabilities.
   (2) (A) How to identify indicators of mental illness, intellectual
disability, and substance use disorders.
   (B) How to distinguish between mental illness, intellectual
disability, and substance use disorders.
   (C) How to respond appropriately in a variety of situations
involving persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, and
substance use disorders.
   (3) Conflict resolution and deescalation techniques for
potentially dangerous situations.
   (4) Appropriate language usage when interacting with potentially
emotionally distressed persons.
   (5) Community and state resources available to serve persons with
mental illness or intellectual disability, and how these resources
can be best utilized by law enforcement.
   (6) The perspective of individuals and families with lived
experiences with persons with mental illness, intellectual
disability, and substance use disorders.
   (c) This promising or evidence-based behavioral health classroom
training course and instructor-led active learning which will take
place in the academy shall be  at least  20 hours
long and shall be in addition to the current hour requirement leading
to the basic certificate issued by the Commission on Peace Officer
Standards and Training.
  SEC. 2.  Section 13515.27 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
   13515.27.  (a) The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and
Training shall establish and keep updated a promising or
evidence-based behavioral health continuing training course relating
to law enforcement interaction with persons with mental illness that
is equivalent in its importance to the perishable skills training
provided by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
   (b) This course shall be  at least  four
consecutive hours and address issues related to stigma, shall be
culturally relevant and appropriate, and shall include all of the
following topics:
   (1) The cause and nature of mental illness, intellectual
disability, and substance use disorders.
   (2) (A) How to identify indicators of mental illness, intellectual
disability, and substance use disorders.
   (B) How to distinguish between mental illness, intellectual
disability, and substance use disorders.
   (C) How to respond appropriately in a variety of situations
involving persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, and
substance use disorders.
   (3) Conflict resolution and deescalation techniques for
potentially dangerous situations.
   (4) Appropriate language usage when interacting with potentially
emotionally distressed persons.
   (5) Community and state resources available to serve persons with
mental illness or intellectual disability, and how these resources
can be best utilized by law enforcement.
   (6) The perspective of individuals and families with lived
experiences with persons with mental illness, intellectual
disability, and substance use disorders.
   (c) Each law enforcement officer with a rank of supervisor or
below and who is assigned to patrol duties or to supervise officers
who are assigned to patrol duties shall complete the course described
in subdivisions (a) and (b) every four years.
  SEC. 3.  If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.