Police Training and Accountability Act

Bill: 116-hr-7136
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
Introduced: 2020-06-08
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Department of Justice

Employment and training programs

Executive agency funding and structure

Law enforcement administration and funding

Law enforcement officers
Latest action: action_date: 2020-06-08
text: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-06-08
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Police Training and Accountability Ac</strong>t</p> <p>This bill provides for the establishment of minimum training standards for law enforcement officers. </p> <p>Specifically, the bill requires the Civilian Commission on Modern Law Enforcement Training to establish a uniform training requirement, which must include standards pertaining to issues such as the use of force and implicit bias. </p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7136 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 8, 2020 Mr. Pocan (for himself and Mrs. Hayes ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To require the creation and adoption of national minimum training requirements for law enforcement personnel.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Police Training and Accountability Act . 2. Law enforcement training requirement and standards (a) Training requirement The Civilian Commission on Modern Law Enforcement Training shall establish a single national training requirement every law enforcement officer in America should, at minimum, meet before being permitted to perform the duties of a law enforcement officer. (b) Training standards The training requirement established pursuant to this section shall be uniform and include, at minimum, standards pertaining to— (1) a minimum level of education attainment (while not prohibiting high school graduates from employment consideration for entry-level positions); (2) a minimum number of training hours; (3) use of force; (4) use of lethal force; (5) implicit bias; (6) conflict resolution, mediation, and de-escalation practices; (7) pursuit; (8) video technology; (9) stop and search procedures; and (10) intervention programs. 3. Adoption of training standards required Any employer of a law enforcement officer who has not completed training satisfying the requirements of section 2 of this Act shall be ineligible for any Federal funds made available by the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. 4. Civilian-Law Enforcement Bill of Rights The Civilian Commission on Modern Law Enforcement Training established by this Act shall issue a Civilian-Law Enforcement Bill of Rights describing the rights every person has when interacting with law enforcement. This Bill of Rights shall be adhered to by every recipient of an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program award. 5. Definitions In this Act: (a) The term law enforcement officer means any officer, agent, or employee of the Federal Government, a State, a unit of local government, or an Indian tribe authorized by law or by a government agency to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, or investigation of any violation of criminal law, or authorized by law to supervise sentenced criminal offenders. (b) The term Civilian Commission on Modern Law Enforcement Training means an independent commission established pursuant to this Act within the Department of Justice that consists of persons without a history of military or law enforcement employment. Members of the Commission shall be equally appointed by the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and the majority leader of the U.S. Senate.