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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to training on community-based policing for certain |
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persons licensed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 1701.253(c), Occupations Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(c) As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the |
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commission shall establish a statewide comprehensive education and |
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training program on civil rights, racial sensitivity, [and] |
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cultural diversity, and community-based policing for officers |
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[persons] licensed under this chapter. The program must contain a |
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component in which officers and members of the community the |
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officers serve meet and share their perspectives on issues covered |
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by the training. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 1701.352(b) and (e), Occupations Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The commission shall require a state, county, special |
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district, or municipal agency that appoints or employs peace |
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officers to provide each peace officer with a training program at |
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least once every 48 months that is approved by the commission and |
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consists of: |
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(1) topics selected by the agency; and |
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(2) for an officer holding only a basic proficiency |
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certificate, not more than 20 hours of education and training that |
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contain curricula incorporating the learning objectives developed |
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by the commission regarding: |
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(A) civil rights, racial sensitivity, [and] |
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cultural diversity, and community-based policing; |
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(B) de-escalation and crisis intervention |
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techniques to facilitate interaction with persons with mental |
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impairments; |
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(C) de-escalation techniques to facilitate |
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interaction with members of the public, including techniques for |
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limiting the use of force resulting in bodily injury; and |
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(D) unless determined by the agency head to be |
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inconsistent with the officer's assigned duties: |
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(i) the recognition, documentation, and |
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investigation of cases that involve child abuse or neglect, family |
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violence, and sexual assault, including the use of best practices |
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and trauma-informed techniques to effectively recognize, document, |
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and investigate those cases; and |
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(ii) issues concerning sex offender |
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characteristics. |
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(e) The commission may require a state, county, special |
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district, or municipal agency that appoints or employs a reserve |
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law enforcement officer, county jailer, or public security officer |
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to provide each of those persons with the education and training |
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program on [in] civil rights, racial sensitivity, [and] cultural |
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diversity, and community-based policing established by the |
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commission under Section 1701.253(c) at least once every 48 months. |
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SECTION 3. Section 1701.402(i), Occupations Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(i) As a requirement for an intermediate proficiency |
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certificate, an officer must complete an education and training |
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program on civil rights, racial sensitivity, [and] cultural |
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diversity, and community-based policing established by the |
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commission under Section 1701.253(c). |
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SECTION 4. Not later than March 1, 2022, the Texas |
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Commission on Law Enforcement shall revise the commission's |
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education and training programs as necessary to implement the |
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changes in law made by this Act. |
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SECTION 5. Section 1701.253(c), Occupations Code, as |
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amended by this Act, applies only to a person who submits an |
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application for a peace officer license under Chapter 1701, |
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Occupations Code, on or after September 1, 2022. A person who |
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submits an application for a peace officer license under Chapter |
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1701, Occupations Code, before September 1, 2022, is governed by |
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the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 6. Notwithstanding Sections 1701.352(b) and (e), |
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Occupations Code, as amended by this Act, a license holder who |
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before March 1, 2022, completes an education and training program |
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on civil rights, racial sensitivity, and cultural diversity as part |
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of the 48-month training cycle beginning on September 1, 2021, is |
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not required to complete the revised education and training program |
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on civil rights, racial sensitivity, cultural diversity, and |
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community-based policing required by Sections 1701.352(b) and (e), |
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Occupations Code, as amended by this Act, until the license |
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holder's next 48-month training cycle. |
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SECTION 7. Notwithstanding Section 1701.402(i), |
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Occupations Code, as amended by this Act, an officer who before |
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March 1, 2022, completes an education and training program on civil |
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rights, racial sensitivity, and cultural diversity is considered to |
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have completed an education and training program on civil rights, |
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racial sensitivity, cultural diversity, and community-based |
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policing for purposes of that section. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |