Source: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/s741
Timestamp: 2020-08-14 05:57:50
Document Index: 570865223

Matched Legal Cases: ['§214', '§840', '§120', '§ 214', '§ 2', '§  3', '§ 120', '§ 140']

NY State Senate Bill S741
senate Bill S741
Directs the superintendent of state police to develop and institute child-sensitive arrest policies and procedures
Get Status Alerts for S741
May 14, 2019 1st report cal.716
S741 (ACTIVE) - Details
Add §214-g, amd §840, Exec L; add §§120.85 & 140.17, CP L
2011-2012: S6043, A9087
2013-2014: S1416, A1507
2015-2016: S981, A6967
2017-2018: S4488, A6244
S741 (ACTIVE) - Summary
S741 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo
BILL NUMBER: S741
relation to directing the superintendent of state police to develop and
institute child-sensitive arrest policies and procedures for instances
where police are arresting an individual who is a parent, guardian or
other person legally charged with the care or custody of a child
To establish, maintain, and disseminate policies and procedures regard-
ing child-sensitive arrest practices.
Section 1: Amends the executive law by adding a new section 214-g,
requiring the superintendent, in consultation with the office of child
and family services and the division of criminal justice services, to
maintain and disseminate written policies and procedures regarding child
sensitive arrest practices. These policies include but are not limited
to: (1) inquiring whether an arrestee is charged with the care or custo-
dy of a child; (2) allowing for the arrangement of temporary care for
the child; (3) education on how witnessing violence causes emotional
harm to children and how law enforcement can minimize the impact of such
harm; (4) information on the availability of access to community-based
providers of crisis intervention, child protection, and other resources
that could aid the child.
Section 2. Amends the executive law by adding a new subdivision (f-2) to
subdivision 3 of section 840, requiring DOS in consultation with the
office of child and family services to maintain and disseminate written
policies and procedures regarding child sensitive arrest practices.
These policies include but are not limited to: (1) inquiring whether an
arrestee is charged with the care or custody of a child; (2) allowing
for the arrangement of temporary care for the child; (3) education on
how witnessing violence causes emotional harm to children and how law
enforcement can minimize the impact of such harm; (4) information. on
the availability of access to community-based providers of crisis inter-
vention, child protection, and other resources that could aid the child.
Section 3: Amends the criminal procedure law by adding two new sections
120.85 and 140.17, by requiring that state and local law enforcement
officers who are arresting an individual inquire at the time of the
arrest whether the individual is parent, guardian, or person legally
charged with the care or custody of a minor child who may be at risk as
a result of the arrest. Further, the arresting officer is to make
reasonable efforts to ensure the safety of such child in accordance with
the polices established pursuant to section 214-d of the executive law.
A national study conducted in 1998 estimated that of parents arrested,
67% were handcuffed in front of their children, 27% reported weapons
drawn in front of their children, 4.3% reported a physical struggle, and
3.2% reported the use of pepper spray. (Phillips, S.D. (1998).  Program-
ming for children of female offenders. Proceedings from 4th National
Head Start Research Conference. Washington, DC (cited in report to the
Oregon Legislature on Senate Bill 133 (p.2). December 2002)). According
to a 2010 study discussed in a report by the examining the relationship
between witnessing arrests and elevated symptoms of post traumatic
stress, children who witnessed the arrest of someone in their household
and had a recently arrested parent were 73% more likely to have elevated
post traumatic stress symptoms than children who did not have an
arrested parent and had never witnessed an arrest (Phillips, S.D., &
Zhao J. (2010). The relationship between witnessing arrests and elevated
symptoms of posttraumatic stress.  Children and Youth Services Review,
32 (10). 1246-1254.  doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.201004.0125)
Witnessing an arrest can cause anxiety, confusion, anger, sadness, and a
myriad of other emotions in children. Most children do not talk about
this experience. Many develop negative associations with law enforcement
or figures of authority as a result. This can put them at risk because
they may not seek assistance from the police when they feel unsafe or
are in danger. Further, their respect for the law and sense of right and
wrong can be complicated by their parent's arrest.  This is particularly
true if they were not aware of their parent's law-breaking, if they
witnessed aggression toward their parents during an arrest, or if their
parents did not take responsibility for their actions, using language to
convey that arrests happen randomly or without justification.
By adopting and implementing child-sensitive arrest policies and proce-
dures as modeled in other states and jurisdictions, child trauma and
out-of-home placements can be minimized and the needs of these children
can be properly met.
2011-2012: S.6043-A - Died in Committee
2013-2014: S.1416 - Died in Committee
S741 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf
Introduced  by  Sens.  MONTGOMERY, BAILEY, PARKER, PERSAUD -- read twice
relation  to  directing  the superintendent of state police to develop
and institute  child-sensitive  arrest  policies  and  procedures  for
instances  where  police  are arresting an individual who is a parent,
Section  1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 214-g
§ 214-G. CHILD-SENSITIVE ARRESTS. THE SUPERINTENDENT, IN  CONSULTATION
WITH  THE  OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN  AND FAMILY SERVICES AND THE DIVISION OF
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES, SHALL DEVELOP, MAINTAIN  AND  DISSEMINATE  TO
ALL  MEMBERS  OF  THE  STATE POLICE, INCLUDING NEW AND VETERAN OFFICERS,
WRITTEN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, REGARDING CHILD-SENSITIVE ARREST  PRAC-
TICES.  SUCH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SHALL ENSURE THE IDENTIFICATION AND
SAFETY OF A CHILD LESS THAN EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD WHEN SUCH CHILD'S PARENT,
GUARDIAN,  OR  OTHER  PERSON LEGALLY CHARGED WITH THE CARE OR CUSTODY OF
SUCH CHILD IS ARRESTED.  SUCH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SHALL INCLUDE, BUT
(A) PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THAT STATE POLICE OFFICERS INQUIRE AND  DOCU-
MENT  WHETHER  AN  ARRESTEE  IS  THE  PARENT, GUARDIAN OR PERSON LEGALLY
CHARGED WITH THE CARE OR CUSTODY OF A CHILD;
(B) PROCEDURES TO ALLOW FOR THE ARRANGEMENT OF TEMPORARY CARE FOR  THE
CHILD  OF  AN  ARRESTED PARENT, GUARDIAN OR OTHER PERSON LEGALLY CHARGED
WITH THE CARE OR CUSTODY OF SUCH CHILD TO ENSURE SUCH CHILD'S SAFETY AND
WELL-BEING, WHICH MAY INCLUDE ALLOWING THE ARRESTED PARENT, GUARDIAN  OR
LBD03434-01-9
S. 741                              2
OTHER  PERSON  LEGALLY CHARGED WITH THE CARE OR CUSTODY OF SUCH CHILD TO
PLACE ADDITIONAL PHONE CALLS TO ARRANGE FOR CHILD CARE;
(C)  EDUCATION  ON  HOW  WITNESSING  VIOLENCE CAUSES EMOTIONAL HARM TO
CHILDREN AND HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN ASSIST IN MINIMIZING THE IMPACT  OF
(D)  INFORMATION  ON  THE  AVAILABILITY  OF  ACCESS TO COMMUNITY-BASED
PROVIDERS OF CRISIS INTERVENTION, CHILD PROTECTION AND OTHER  SUPPORTIVE
RESOURCES  THAT  COULD  AID THE CHILD OF AN ARRESTED PARENT, GUARDIAN OR
OTHER PERSON LEGALLY CHARGED WITH THE CARE OR CUSTODY OF SUCH CHILD.
§ 2. Subdivision 3 of section 840 of the executive law is  amended  by
adding a new paragraph (f-2) to read as follows:
(F-2)  DEVELOPING, MAINTAINING AND DISSEMINATING, IN CONSULTATION WITH
THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, WRITTEN POLICIES AND  PROCE-
DURES  REGARDING  CHILD-SENSITIVE  ARREST  PRACTICES.  SUCH POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES SHALL ENSURE THE IDENTIFICATION AND SAFETY OF  A  CHILD  LESS
THAN  EIGHTEEN  YEARS  OLD  WHEN SUCH CHILD'S PARENT, GUARDIAN, OR OTHER
PERSON LEGALLY CHARGED WITH  THE  CARE  OR  CUSTODY  OF  SUCH  CHILD  IS
ARRESTED.  SUCH POLICES AND PROCEDURES SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED
(1) PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT  OFFICERS  INQUIRE
AND  DOCUMENT  WHETHER  AN  ARRESTEE  IS  THE PARENT, GUARDIAN OR PERSON
LEGALLY CHARGED WITH THE CARE OR CUSTODY OF A CHILD;
(2) PROCEDURES TO ALLOW FOR THE ARRANGEMENT OF TEMPORARY CARE FOR  THE
(3) EDUCATION ON HOW WITNESSING  VIOLENCE  CAUSES  EMOTIONAL  HARM  TO
CHILDREN  AND HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN ASSIST IN MINIMIZING THE IMPACT OF
(4) INFORMATION ON  THE  AVAILABILITY  OF  ACCESS  TO  COMMUNITY-BASED
PROVIDERS  OF CRISES INTERVENTION, CHILD PROTECTION AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE
RESOURCES THAT COULD AID THE CHILD OF AN ARRESTED  PARENT,  GUARDIAN  OR
OTHER PERSON LEGALLY CHARGED WITH THE CARE OR CUSTODY OF SUCH CHILD;
§  3. The criminal procedure law is amended by adding two new sections
120.85 and 140.17 to read as follows:
§ 120.85 CHILD-SENSITIVE ARRESTS.
A STATE OR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER  WHO  ARRESTS  AN  INDIVIDUAL
SHALL, AT THE TIME OF THE ARREST, INQUIRE WHETHER SUCH INDIVIDUAL IS THE
PARENT, GUARDIAN OR OTHER PERSON LEGALLY CHARGED WITH THE CARE OR CUSTO-
DY  OF  A  CHILD  LESS  THAN  EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD WHO MAY BE AT RISK AS A
RESULT OF THE ARREST. THE  OFFICER  SHALL  MAKE  REASONABLE  EFFORTS  TO
ENSURE  THE  SAFETY  OF  SUCH  CHILD IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION  TWO  HUNDRED  FOURTEEN-G  OR
PARAGRAPH  (F-2)  OF SUBDIVISION THREE OF SECTION EIGHT HUNDRED FORTY OF
THE EXECUTIVE LAW AS APPLICABLE.
§ 140.17 CHILD-SENSITIVE ARRESTS.
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