(a) Effective July 1, 1990, the commission shall establish, for those peace officers specified in subdivision (a) of Section 13510 who are assigned to patrol or investigations, a course on the nature of sudden infant death syndrome and the handling of cases involving the sudden deaths of infants. The course shall include information on the community resources available to assist families and child care providers who have lost a child to sudden infant death syndrome. Officers who are employed after January 1, 1990, shall complete a course in sudden infant death syndrome prior to the issuance of the Peace Officer Standards and Training basic certificate, and shall complete training on this topic on or before July 1, 1992.
(b) The commission, in consultation with experts in the field of sudden infant death syndrome, shall prepare guidelines establishing standard procedures which may be followed by law enforcement agencies in the investigation of cases involving sudden deaths of infants.
(c) The course relating to sudden infant death syndrome and the handling of cases of sudden infant deaths shall be developed by the commission in consultation with experts in the field of sudden infant death syndrome. The course shall include instruction in the standard procedures developed pursuant to subdivision (b). In addition, the course shall include information on the nature of sudden infant death syndrome which shall be taught by experts in the field of sudden infant death syndrome.
(d) The commission shall review and modify the basic course curriculum to include sudden infant death syndrome awareness as part of death investigation training.
(e) When the instruction and training are provided by a local agency, a fee shall be charged sufficient to defray the entire cost of instruction and training.
(Added by Stats. 1989, Ch. 1111, Sec. 7.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018