Police Training and Independent Review Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.1337 | Sponsor: Rep. Cohen, Steve (D-TN)
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement

Summary:
Police Training and Independent Review Act of 2021
This bill authorizes the Department of Justice to award grants to states that (1) require law enforcement officers to be trained on diversity and sensitivity, and (2) require an independent prosecutor to be appointed to investigate and prosecute an alleged offense involving the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer that results in a death or injury.

To provide for grants for States that require sensitivity training for 
  law enforcement officers of that State and to incentivize States to 
 enact laws requiring the independent investigation and prosecution of 
  the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Police Training and Independent 
Review Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR TRAINING AND SENSITIVITY AND THE USE OF INDEPENDENT 
              PROSECUTORS.

    Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 
(et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

       ``PART NN--GRANTS FOR TRAINING AND INDEPENDENT PROSECUTION

``SEC. 3041. IN GENERAL.

    ``The Attorney General may make a grant to a State each fiscal year 
for purposes of carrying out the requirements of section 3042(a) and 
3043. The term of such grant shall be 1 year.

``SEC. 3042. TRAINING ON DIVERSITY AND SENSITIVITY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.

    ``(a) Training Requirement.--The requirements of this subsection 
are as follows:
            ``(1) A State shall require that all individuals enrolled 
        in an academy of a law enforcement agency of the State and all 
        law enforcement officers of the State fulfill a training 
        session on sensitivity each fiscal year, including training on 
        ethnic and racial bias, cultural diversity, and police 
        interaction with the disabled, mentally ill, and new 
        immigrants. In the case of individuals attending an academy, 
        such training session shall be for 8 hours, and in the case of 
        all other law enforcement officers, the training session shall 
        be for 4 hours.
            ``(2) A State shall certify to the Attorney General of the 
        United States that such training sessions have been completed.
    ``(b) Compliance and Ineligibility.--
            ``(1) Compliance date.--The period specified under this 
        paragraph is the period beginning 120 days after the date of 
        enactment of this part, to comply with subsection (a), except 
        that--
                    ``(A) the Attorney General may grant an additional 
                120 days to a State that is making good faith efforts 
                to comply with such subsection; and
                    ``(B) the Attorney General shall waive the 
                requirements of subsection (a) if compliance with such 
                subsection by a State would be unconstitutional under 
                the constitution of such State.
            ``(2) Ineligibility.--A State that is not in compliance 
        with the requirements of subsection (a) during a fiscal year is 
        not eligible for a grant under this part.

``SEC. 3043. INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF LAW ENFORCEMENT USE OF DEADLY FORCE.

    ``In the case of a State that fails by the end of a fiscal year to 
enact or have in effect an independent prosecution of law enforcement 
law, that State is not eligible for a grant under this part.

``SEC. 3044. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this part:
            ``(1) The term `deadly force' means that force which a 
        reasonable person would consider likely to cause death or 
        serious bodily harm.
            ``(2) The term `independent prosecution of law enforcement 
        law' means a statute requiring the appointment of an 
        independent prosecutor to conduct any criminal investigation 
        and prosecution in which--
                    ``(A) one or more of the possible defendants is a 
                law enforcement officer;
                    ``(B) one or more of the alleged offenses involves 
                the law enforcement officer's use of deadly force in 
                the course of carrying out that officer's duty; and
                    ``(C) the law enforcement officer's use of deadly 
                force resulted in a death or injury.
            ``(3) The term `independent prosecutor' means, with respect 
        to a criminal investigation or prosecution, a prosecutor who--
                    ``(A) does not live or work in the same county as 
                the county in which the alleged crime was committed; 
                and
                    ``(B) would not be involved in the prosecution in 
                the ordinary course of that prosecutor's duties.''.
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