By: Ellis S.B. No. 1676
(In the Senate - Filed March 11, 2011; March 23, 2011, read
first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice;
April 7, 2011, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7,
Nays 0; April 7, 2011, sent to printer.)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to educational and training requirements for certain peace
officers on ethical decision making.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is
amended by adding Section 1701.260 to read as follows:
Sec. 1701.260. EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS ON ETHICAL
DECISION MAKING. (a) The commission by rule shall require an
officer to complete an eight-hour training program on ethical
decision making once during the year beginning on September 1,
2012, and once every 24 months for the two Commission on Law
Enforcement Officer Standards and Education training cycles
beginning September 1, 2013.
(b) The program described by Subsection (a) must be approved
by the commission and shall be conducted by the governmental entity
that employs the officer. The program must include education and
training on:
(1) identification of ethical dilemmas in law
enforcement;
(2) stress inoculation, de-escalation, and crisis
management techniques;
(3) principles of ethics and decision making in law
enforcement as they relate to use of force;
(4) public accountability and police professionalism;
and
(5) application in scenario-based ethical dilemmas.
(c) A trainer of a course described by this section may use
curriculum and instructional materials developed by the
commission, a governmental entity conducting a course, and an
entity that has a training agreement with the commission.
(d) This section expires September 1, 2021.
SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2011, the Commission
on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education shall adopt the
rules necessary to implement Section 1701.260, Occupations Code, as
added by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
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