An act to add Sections 13515.28, 13515.29, and 13515.295 to the Penal Code, relating to peace officer training standards.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.
Section 13515.28 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
13515.28.
(a) (1) The commission shall require the field training officers who provide instruction in the field training program to have at least eight hours of crisis intervention behavioral health training to better train new peace officers on how to effectively interact with persons with mental illness or intellectual disability. This course shall include classroom instruction and instructor-led active learning, such as scenario-based training, and shall be taught in segments that are at least four hours long.
(2) If a field training officer has completed eight hours of crisis intervention behavioral health training within the past 24 months, or if a field training officer has completed 40 hours of crisis intervention behavioral health training, the requirement described in paragraph (1) shall not apply.
(b) The crisis intervention behavioral health training shall address issues relating to stigma, shall be culturally relevant and appropriate, and shall include all of the following topics:
(1) The cause and nature of mental illnesses and intellectual disabilities.
(2) (A) How to identify indicators of mental illness, intellectual disability, and substance use disorders.
(B) How to distinguish between mental illness, intellectual disability, and substance use disorders.
(C) How to respond appropriately in a variety of situations involving persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, and substance use disorders.
(3) Conflict resolution and deescalation techniques for potentially dangerous situations.
(4) Appropriate language usage when interacting with potentially emotionally distressed persons.
(5) Community and state resources available to serve persons with mental illness or intellectual disability, and how these resources can be best utilized by law enforcement.
(6) The perspective of individuals or families who have experiences with persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, and substance use disorders.
(c) Field training officers assigned or appointed before January 1, 2017, shall complete the crisis intervention behavioral health training by June 30, 2017. Field training officers assigned or appointed on or after January 1, 2017, shall complete the crisis intervention behavioral health training within 180 days of assignment or appointment.
(d) This section does not prevent an agency from requiring its field training officers to complete additional hours of crisis intervention behavioral health training or requiring its field training officers to complete that training earlier than as required by this section.
SEC. 2.
Section 13515.29 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
13515.29.
(a) The commission shall establish and keep updated a field training officer course relating to competencies of the field training program and police training program that addresses how to interact with persons with mental illness or intellectual disability.
(b) This course shall consist of at least four hours of classroom instruction and instructor-led active learning, such as scenario-based training, shall address issues related to stigma, and shall be culturally relevant and appropriate.
(c) All prospective field training officers shall complete the course described in subdivisions (a) and (b) as part of the existing field training officer program.
(d) The commission shall implement the provisions of this section on or before August 1, 2016.
SEC. 3.
Section 13515.295 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
13515.295.
(a) The commission shall, by May 1, 2016, conduct a review and evaluation of the required competencies of the field training program and police training program to identify areas where additional training is necessary to better prepare law enforcement officers to effectively address incidents involving persons with a mental illness or intellectual disability.
(b) Upon identifying what additional training is needed, the commission shall update the training in consultation with appropriate community, local, and state organizations, and agencies that have expertise in the area of mental illness, intellectual disabilities, and substance abuse disorders, and with appropriate consumer and family advocate groups.
(c) The training shall address issues related to stigma, shall be culturally relevant and appropriate, and shall include all of the following topics:
(1) How to identify indicators of mental illness, intellectual disability, substance use disorders, neurological disorders, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and dementia.
(2) Autism spectrum disorder.
(3) Genetic disorders, including, but not limited to, Down syndrome.
(4) Conflict resolution and deescalation techniques for potentially dangerous situations.
(5) Alternatives to the use of force when interacting with potentially dangerous persons with mental illness or intellectual disabilities.
(6) The perspective of individuals or families who have experiences with persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, and substance use disorders.
(7) Involuntary holds.
(8) Community and state resources available to serve persons with mental illness or intellectual disability, and how these resources can be best utilized by law enforcement.
SEC. 4.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

Summary: Existing law requires specified categories of law enforcement officers to meet training standards pursuant to courses of training certified by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). Existing law requires POST to include in its basic training course adequate instruction in the handling of persons with developmental disabilities or mental illness, or both. Existing law also requires POST to establish and keep updated a continuing education classroom training course relating to law enforcement interaction with developmentally disabled and mentally ill persons.
This bill would require POST to require field training officers who are instructors for the field training program to have at least 8 hours of crisis intervention behavioral health training, as specified. The bill would also require POST to require as part of its existing field training officer course, at least 4 hours of training relating to competencies of the field training program and police training program that addresses how to interact with persons with mental illness or intellectual disability, to be completed as specified.
By requiring local law enforcement field training officers to have at least 8 additional hours of training and imposing additional training costs on local law enforcement agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.