SB 118

This bill creates an independent use of force review advisory board. Under the

bill, the board conducts independent investigations of deaths and serious injuries to

law enforcement officers and deaths and serious injuries to others resulting from an

action or omission of a law enforcement officer. The board must recommend

measures to reduce the probabilities of deaths and serious injuries from similar

causes and must also review its previous recommendations to determine if they were

implemented and evaluate their effectiveness.

Under the bill, if the board conducts an investigation of an incident involving

an officer that resulted in death or a serious injury, its investigation may begin only

after any mandatory or criminal investigation concludes. The bill grants the board

access to all complete criminal and administrative investigation case files, models

or renderings used in an investigation, and evidence and also to the state crime

laboratories. The board must acquire experts and use advisors as needed to perform

its duties; the experts and advisors include a certified firearms instructor, a

defensive and arrest tactics instructor, an expert in cultural competency, a master

instructor in professional communications, a master instructor in tactical response,

a victim advocate, and a mental health professional.

When the board completes an investigation, it must prepare an advisory report

to be made public and be submitted to the legislature, all law enforcement agencies,

and the Law Enforcement Standards Board. The report must identify events or

developments that led to the officer-involved death or serious injury and make

recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future. The report must

provide demographic information about each incident, share best practices used by

law enforcement officers, and recommend practices that the board learns when

exercising its review.