 |
California Law (Last Updated: March 4, 2014) |
 |
Penal Code - PEN |
|
Part 4. PREVENTION OF CRIMES AND APPREHENSION OF CRIMINALS |
|
Title 4. STANDARDS AND TRAINING OF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS |
|
Chapter 1. Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training |
|
ARTICLE 2. Field Services and Standards for Recruitment and Training |
Section 13515.25.
-
(a) By July 1, 2006, the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training shall establish and keep updated a continuing education classroom training course relating to law enforcement interaction with mentally disabled persons. The training course shall be developed by the commission in consultation with appropriate community, local, and state organizations and agencies that have expertise in the area of mental illness and developmental disability, and with appropriate consumer and family advocate groups. In developing the course, the commission shall also examine existing courses certified by the commission that relate to mentally disabled persons. The commission shall make the course available to law enforcement agencies in California.
(b) The course described in subdivision (a) shall consist of classroom instruction and shall utilize interactive training methods to ensure that the training is as realistic as possible. The course shall include, at a minimum, core instruction in all of the following:
(1) The cause and nature of mental illnesses and developmental disabilities.
(2) How to identify indicators of mental disability and how to respond appropriately in a variety of common situations.
(3) Conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques for potentially dangerous situations involving mentally disabled persons.
(4) Appropriate language usage when interacting with mentally disabled persons.
(5) Alternatives to lethal force when interacting with potentially dangerous mentally disabled persons.
(6) Community and state resources available to serve mentally disabled persons and how these resources can be best utilized by law enforcement to benefit the mentally disabled community.
(7) The fact that a crime committed in whole or in part because of an actual or perceived disability of the victim is a hate crime punishable under Title 11.6 (commencing with Section 422.55) of Part 1.
(c) The commission shall submit a report to the Legislature by October 1, 2004, that shall include all of the following:
(1) A description of the process by which the course was established, including a list of the agencies and groups that were consulted.
(2) Information on the number of law enforcement agencies that utilized, and the number of officers that attended, the course or other courses certified by the commission relating to mentally disabled persons from July 1, 2001, to July 1, 2003, inclusive.
(3) Information on the number of law enforcement agencies that utilized, and the number of officers that attended, courses certified by the commission relating to mentally disabled persons from July 1, 2000, to July 1, 2001, inclusive.
(4) An analysis of the Police Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) Program used by the San Francisco and San Jose Police Departments, to assess the training used in these programs and compare it with existing courses offered by the commission in order to evaluate the adequacy of mental disability training available to local law enforcement officers.
(d) The Legislature encourages law enforcement agencies to include the course created in this section, and any other course certified by the commission relating to mentally disabled persons, as part of their advanced officer training program.
(e) It is the intent of the Legislature to reevaluate, on the basis of its review of the report required in subdivision (c), the extent to which law enforcement officers are receiving adequate training in how to interact with mentally disabled persons.