(a) The commission shall, by May 1, 2016, conduct a review and evaluation of the required competencies of the field training program and police training program to identify areas where additional training is necessary to better prepare law enforcement officers to effectively address incidents involving persons with a mental illness or intellectual disability.
(b) Upon identifying what additional training is needed, the commission shall update the training in consultation with appropriate community, local, and state organizations, and agencies that have expertise in the area of mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and substance abuse disorders, and with appropriate consumer and family advocate groups.
(c) The training shall address issues related to stigma, shall be culturally relevant and appropriate, and shall include all of the following topics:
(1) How to identify indicators of mental illness, intellectual disability, substance use disorders, neurological disorders, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and dementia.
(2) Autism spectrum disorder.
(3) Genetic disorders, including, but not limited to, Down syndrome.
(4) Conflict resolution and deescalation techniques for potentially dangerous situations.
(5) Alternatives to the use of force when interacting with potentially dangerous persons with mental illness or intellectual disabilities.
(6) The perspective of individuals or families who have experiences with persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, and substance use disorders.
(7) Involuntary holds.
(8) 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.
(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 469, Sec. 3. (SB 29) Effective January 1, 2016.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018