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OLR Bill Analysis
SB 421 (File 223, as amended by Senate "A")*
AN ACT CONCERNING LAW ENFORCEMENT RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
SUMMARY
§ 1 — LAW ENFORCEMEN T PROFESSION PROMOTION PLAN
Requires DESPP, in consultation with certain entities, to develop, coordinate, and
implement a plan to promote the law enforcement profession
§ 2 — STUDY ON SUBSTITUTING COLLEGE COURSES FOR POLICE
BASIC TRAINING
Requires POST to study whether college-level criminal justice courses can be substituted
for its police basic training courses
§ 2 — UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN PILOT PROGRAM
Requires POST to establish a pilot program by January 1, 2025, with the University of
New Haven, to allow a person in basic training at the Connecticut Police Academy to take
certain courses at the university before finishing at the academy
§ 3 — LAWFUL PERMANE NT RESIDENT NONCITIZENS AS POLICE
OFFICERS
Prohibits denying someone certification or employment as a police officer only because he
or she is a lawful permanent resident noncitizen
§ 4 — RECOMMENDATION S ON POLICE BONUSES
Requires DESPP and POST to create a report with recommendations on providing
bonuses to new and existing police officers
§ 5 — HIGHER EDUCATION DEGREES PATHWAY
Requires the Board of Regents for Higher Education, UConn Board of Trustees, and
POST to take specific actions towards helping police officers earn higher education degrees
§ 6 — VOLUNTEER POLICE AUXILIARY TASK FORCE
Creates a nine-member task force to (1) study the volunteer police auxiliary force and (2)
make recommendations for improving and maximizing the force
§ 7 — DEVELOPING AND ENHANCING POLICE MENTAL HEALTH
Requires the DESPP commissioner to investigate ways to develop and enhance programs
and initiatives that address police officers’ mental health needs
BACKGROUND
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SUMMARY
This bill requires various entities to develop and implement certain
plans or pilot programs, or study and report, on ways to recruit and
retain police officers and related matters. It also prohibits denying
someone certification or employment as a police officer only because he
or she is a lawful resident permanent noncitizen.
*Senate Amendment “A” (1) eliminates from the underlying bill
provisions on the police cadet/explorer program coordinator, basic
training reimbursement grants, police salary increase grants, tuition
waivers for police officers and dependent children, loan reimbursement
program, property tax exemption, home purchase assistance, deferred
retirement benefits study, returning police officer retirees, and drone
pilot program; (2) modifies the promotion campaign in the underlying
bill by making it a plan and turns the mental health pilot program into
an investigation; and (3) adds the provision on the University of New
Haven Pilot Program.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage, except the provisions on a plan
promoting the law enforcement profession (§ 1) and lawful permanent
resident noncitizens as police officers (§ 3) are effective July 1, 2024.
§ 1 — LAW ENFORCEMEN T PROFESSION PROMOTI ON PLAN
Requires DESPP, in consultation with certain entities, to develop, coordinate, and
implement a plan to promote the law enforcement profession
The bill requires the Department of Emergency Services and Public
Protection (DESPP) commissioner, by January 1, 2025, to develop,
coordinate, and implement a plan to promote the law enforcement
profession. In doing so, the commissioner must consult with the
Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, Connecticut higher education
institutions, and any other entities he deems appropriate. The
commissioner must implement the plan using a variety of media,
including social media.
§ 2 — STUDY ON SUBST ITUTING COLLEGE COUR SES FOR
POLICE BASIC TRAINING
Requires POST to study whether college-level criminal justice courses can be substituted
for its police basic training courses 2024SB-00421-R01-BA.DOCX
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The bill requires the Police Officer Standards and Training Council
(POST) to examine the criminal justice courses offered by colleges and
universities in Connecticut and determine (1) if the courses equal those
required as part of a police officer’s minimum basic law enforcement
training at the Connecticut Police Academy and (2) under what
conditions a police trainee would not need to complete an academy
course because he or she had already completed an equivalent college-
level course. By January 1, 2025, POST must submit a report of its
examination and determination to the Public Safety and Security
Committee.
§ 2 — UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN PILOT PROGRAM
Requires POST to establish a pilot program by January 1, 2025, with the University of
New Haven, to allow a person in basic training at the Connecticut Police Academy to take
certain courses at the university before finishing at the academy
Under the bill, POST must establish a pilot program by January 1,
2025, with the University of New Haven, to allow a person attending
the Connecticut Police Academy for basic training to complete the
training by taking (1) courses related to legal issues at the university,
and (2) the remaining courses at the academy. By January 1, 2026, POST
must submit a report to the Public Safety and Security Committee with
a description of the pilot program, an analysis of the program’s impact
on police recruitment and training procedures and resources, and
recommendations on whether to terminate, continue, revise, or expand
the program.
§ 3 — LAWFUL PERMANE NT RESIDENT NONCITIZENS AS POLICE
OFFICERS
Prohibits denying someone certification or employment as a police officer only because he
or she is a lawful permanent resident noncitizen
The bill prohibits POST from denying police officer certification and
law enforcement units from denying someone employment as a police
officer only because he or she is a lawful permanent resident noncitizen.
(See BACKGROUND for the bill’s definition of “law enforcement units”
and “police officer.”)
The bill also makes a technical change. 2024SB-00421-R01-BA.DOCX
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§ 4 — RECOMMENDATION S ON POLICE BONUSES
Requires DESPP and POST to create a report with recommendations on providing
bonuses to new and existing police officers
By January 1, 2025, the bill requires DESPP and POST to jointly
submit a report to the Public Safety and Security Committee with
recommendations on providing bonuses to encourage individuals to
begin and continue careers as police officers. Specifically, the report
must include recommendations for a schedule of bonuses to be awarded
to (1) new officers when they begin service and (2) existing officers
based on years of service.
Under the bill, DESPP and POST may consult with municipal police
chiefs and any other individuals or entities in developing their
recommendations.
§ 5 — HIGHER EDUCATION DEGREES PATHWAY
Requires the Board of Regents for Higher Education, UConn Board of Trustees, and
POST to take specific actions towards helping police officers earn higher education degrees
By January 1, 2025, the bill requires the Board of Regents for Higher
Education, UConn’s Board of Trustees, and POST to jointly submit a
report to the Public Safety and Security Committee that includes a career
pathway and schedule that they must develop. The pathway must help
police officers earn higher education degrees and include a schedule of
credits that officers may receive at UConn (and all its campuses) and the
Connecticut State Colleges and Universities for the training they
received in order to be certified, and maintain their certification, as
police officers.
The boards and POST must promote this pathway to encourage
police officers to earn higher education degrees, and their report must
describe their plans for promoting it.
§ 6 — VOLUNTEER POLICE AUXILIARY TASK FORCE
Creates a nine-member task force to (1) study the volunteer police auxiliary force and (2)
make recommendations for improving and maximizing the force
The bill creates a nine-member task force to study the volunteer
police auxiliary force and recommend ways to improve its organization
and maximize the services that auxiliary state police and municipal 2024SB-00421-R01-BA.DOCX
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police officers may provide.
The task force members must be appointed within 30 days after the
bill passes. The members and their appointees are as follows:
1. two appointments by the governor;
2. one appointment each by the top six legislative leaders; and
3. the DESPP commissioner, or his designee.
The bill allows legislative appointees to be General Assembly
members. The House speaker and Senate president pro tempore must
select the task force’s chairpersons from the members. The chairpersons
must schedule the first task force meeting, to be held within 60 days after
the bill passes, and the Public Safety and Security Committee
administrative staff must serve as the task force’s administrative staff.
The bill requires the task force to report its findings and
recommendations to the Public Safety and Security Committee by
January 1, 2025. The task force terminates on that date or when it
submits the report, whichever is later.
§ 7 — DEVELOPING AND ENHANCING POLICE ME NTAL HEALTH
Requires the DESPP commissioner to investigate ways to develop and enhance programs
and initiatives that address police officers’ mental health needs
The bill requires the DESPP commissioner to investigate ways to
develop and enhance programs and initiatives that address police
officers’ mental health needs. The investigation must include:
1. an examination of peer-to-peer support programs,
2. programs that train officers to help themselves and fellow
officers deal with mental health issues associated with their jobs,
3. programs that employ a psychologist or other mental health
professionals within a unit to assist officers with their mental
health needs,
4. employee assistance programs, and 2024SB-00421-R01-BA.DOCX
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5. any other programs and resources that may address a police
officer’s mental health needs.
In conducting this examination, DESPP must consult with the
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, POST, the
Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, law enforcement units
throughout the state, employee organizations that represent police
officers, and any other entities the commissioner deems appropriate.
The DESPP commissioner must submit a report, by January 1, 2025,
to the Public Safety and Security Committee that includes the
investigation results; a list of programs, services, and resources
identified as best practices that could be implemented by units across
the state to address the officers’ mental health needs; and any
recommendations for legislation.
BACKGROUND
Police Officer and Law Enforcement Unit Definitions
By law, “police officers” are sworn members of an organized local
police department or the State Police; appointed constables who
perform criminal law enforcement duties; special police officers
appointed under law (e.g., public assistance fraud investigators); or any
members of a law enforcement unit who perform police duties (CGS §
7-294a(9)).
A “law enforcement unit” is any state or municipal agency or
department (or tribal agency or department created and governed
under a memorandum of agreement) whose primary functions include
enforcing criminal or traffic laws; preserving public order; protecting
life and property; or preventing, detecting, or investigating crime (CGS
§ 7-294a(8)).
COMMITTEE ACTION
Public Safety and Security Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 25 Nay 0 (03/19/2024)