Law enforcement standards and requiring the exercise of rule-making authority

The bill makes several changes to the training and education standards, including setting forth a training and education protocol for law enforcement students, recruits, and temporary or probationary employees. Under the bill, law enforcement officer and tribal law enforcement officer students are required to submit fingerprints and undergo a criminal background check. Any person who has been convicted of a felony or of a misdemeanor related to domestic violence may not participate in a student training program for becoming a law enforcement officer or a tribal law enforcement officer. Under the bill, under most circumstances a recruit or a temporary or probationary employee must complete his or her training program within the original period of his or her temporary or probationary employment, not to exceed 18 months, except that the board may extend that period if the employer shows good cause for the board to do so.

The bill eliminates specific hour requirements for training and education and allows the board to determine the specific training curricula, including the required subjects, number of hours, objectives, and measures of performance for the training and education protocol for each category of officer. The bill requires the board to include, in different measure for each category of officer, training in cultural differences, mental health and physical health conditions that can affect behavior, and arrest and pursuit procedures. The bill allows the board more flexibility than exists under current law for determining how law enforcement agencies are reimbursed for expenses related to training and educating officers.