Bill Text: CT HB05056 | 2011 | General Assembly | Comm Sub
Bill Title: An Act Raising The Educational Requirements For State And Municipal Police Officers.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-02 - Public Hearing 02/08 [HB05056 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2011-HB05056-Comm_Sub.html
General Assembly |
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January Session, 2011 |
LCO No. 2489 | ||
*02489HB05056PS_* | |||
Referred to Committee on Public Safety and Security |
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Introduced by: |
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(PS) |
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AN ACT RAISING THE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE AND MUNICIPAL POLICE OFFICERS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 29-3a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2011):
(a) After graduation from the State Police Training Academy, and before becoming a sworn member of the Division of State Police within the Department of Public Safety, all state police trainees shall have received a high school diploma or an equivalent approved by the state Department of Education. Nothing in this section shall prohibit prospective state police applicants from being admitted to the State Police Training Academy without having received either the high school diploma or equivalent.
(b) Not later than five years after becoming a sworn member of the Division of State Police within the Department of Public Safety, such sworn member shall obtain an associate's degree.
Sec. 2. Subsections (b) to (f), inclusive, of section 7-294d of the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2011):
(b) No person may be employed as a police officer by any law enforcement unit for a period exceeding one year unless [he] such person has been certified under the provisions of subsection (a) of this section or has been granted an extension by the council. No person may serve as a police officer during any period when his or her certification has been cancelled or revoked pursuant to the provisions of subsection [(c)] (d) of this section. In addition to the requirements of this subsection, the council may establish other qualifications for the employment of police officers and require evidence of fulfillment of these qualifications. The certification of any police officer who is not employed by a law enforcement unit for a period of time in excess of two years, unless such officer is on leave of absence, shall be considered lapsed. Upon reemployment as a police officer, such officer shall apply for recertification in a manner provided by the council. The council shall certify any applicant who presents evidence of satisfactory completion of a program or course of instruction in another state equivalent in content and quality to that required in this state, provided [he] such applicant passes an examination or evaluation as required by the council.
(c) Not later than five years after employment as a police officer by any law enforcement unit, such police officer shall obtain an associate's degree.
[(c)] (d) (1) The council may refuse to renew any certificate if the holder fails to meet the requirements for renewal of his or her certification.
(2) The council may cancel or revoke any certificate if: (A) The certificate was issued by administrative error, (B) the certificate was obtained through misrepresentation or fraud, (C) the holder falsified any document in order to obtain or renew any certificate, (D) the holder has been convicted of a felony, (E) the holder has been found not guilty of a felony by reason of mental disease or defect pursuant to section 53a-13, (F) the holder has been convicted of a violation of subsection (c) of section 21a-279 or section 29-9, (G) the holder has been refused issuance of a certificate or similar authorization or has had his or her certificate or other authorization cancelled or revoked by another jurisdiction on grounds which would authorize cancellation or revocation under the provisions of this subdivision, (H) the holder has been found by a law enforcement unit, pursuant to procedures established by such unit, to have used a firearm in an improper manner which resulted in the death or serious physical injury of another person, or (I) the holder has been found by a law enforcement unit, pursuant to procedures established by such unit, to have committed any act that would constitute tampering with or fabricating physical evidence in violation of section 53a-155, perjury in violation of section 53a-156 or false statement in the second degree in violation of section 53a-157b. Whenever the council believes there is a reasonable basis for cancellation or revocation of the certification of a police officer, police training school or law enforcement instructor, it shall give notice and an adequate opportunity for a hearing prior to such cancellation or revocation. The council may cancel or revoke any certificate if, after a de novo review, it finds by clear and convincing evidence (i) a basis set forth in subparagraphs (A) to (G), inclusive, of this subdivision, or (ii) that the holder of the certificate committed an act set forth in subparagraph (H) or (I) of this subdivision. Any police officer or law enforcement instructor whose certification is cancelled or revoked pursuant to this section may reapply for certification no sooner than two years after the date on which the cancellation or revocation order becomes final. Any police training school whose certification is cancelled or revoked pursuant to this section may reapply for certification at any time after the date on which such order becomes final.
[(d)] (e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, any police officer, except a probationary candidate, who is serving under full-time appointment on July 1, 1982, shall be deemed to have met all certification requirements and shall be automatically certified by the council in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of section 7-294e.
[(e)] (f) The provisions of this section shall apply to any person who performs police functions. As used in this subsection, "performs police functions" for a person who is not a police officer, as defined in section 7-294a, means that in the course of his or her official duties, such person carries a firearm and exercises arrest powers pursuant to section 54-1f or engages in the prevention, detection or investigation of crime, as defined in section 53a-24. The council shall establish criteria by which the certification process required by this section shall apply to police officers.
[(f)] (g) The provisions of this section shall not apply to (1) any state police training school or program, (2) any sworn member of the Division of State Police within the Department of Public Safety, (3) Connecticut National Guard security personnel, when acting within the scope of their National Guard duties, who have satisfactorily completed a program of police training conducted by the United States Army or Air Force, (4) employees of the Judicial Department, (5) municipal animal control officers appointed pursuant to section 22-331, or (6) fire police appointed pursuant to section 7-313a. The provisions of this section with respect to renewal of certification upon satisfactory completion of review training programs shall not apply to any chief inspector or inspector in the Division of Criminal Justice who has satisfactorily completed a program of police training conducted by the division.
Sec. 3. Subsection (b) of section 7-294aa of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2011):
(b) The Police Officer Standards and Training Council shall not cancel or revoke the certification of a police officer during the period such officer is participating in international peacekeeping operations outside the United States in accordance with subsection (a) of this section and for a period of six months after such officer returns to the United States, except for a reason specified in subsection [(c)] (d) of section 7-294d, as amended by this act.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
October 1, 2011 |
29-3a |
Sec. 2 |
October 1, 2011 |
7-294d(b) to (f) |
Sec. 3 |
October 1, 2011 |
7-294aa(b) |
Statement of Purpose:
To develop more highly educated municipal and state police forces.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]