An Act To Protect Local Police Departments
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0864
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: ANNIS, SMITH, DUCHESNE, HAMPER, LEWIN, MIRAMANT, RICHARDSON, THOMAS
Amends: 25 MRSA §2

Legislative Document 
No. 864 
H.P.653 
House of Representatives, February 23, 2007 
An Act To Protect Local Police Departments 
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative ANNIS of Dover-Foxcroft. 
Cosponsored by Senator SMITH of Piscataquis and 
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MILLICENTM. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: DUCHESNE of Hudson, HAMPER of Oxford, LEWIN of Eliot, 
McDONOUGH of Scarborough, MIRAMANT of Camden, RICHARDSON of Carmel, 
RICHARDSON of Greenville, THOMAS of Ripley. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 25 MRSA §2S04-C, as amended by PL 2005, c. 684, § 1, IS further 
amended to read: 
§2804-C. Basic law enforcement training; core curriculum requirements; one-year 
employment contract 
1. Required. As a condition to the continued employment of any person as a full-
time law enforcement officer by a municipality, a county, the State or any other 
nonfederal employer, that person must successfully complete, within the first 12 months 
of initial employment, the basic training course at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy 
approved by the board. If a person's failure to comply with this requirement was a result 
of that person's failure to satisfy any of the admission standards applicable to the basic 
training course and that person is subsequently employed as a full-time law enforcement 
officer within 12 months of termination of the initial employment by a municipality, a 
county, the State or any other nonfederal employer, the person must have satisfied all the 
admission standards to the satisfaction of the board at the time of hire. As a condition of 
continued employment as a full-time law enforcement officer, the officer must 
satisfactorily maintain the basic certification by completing the recertification 
requirements prescribed by the board. The board, under extenuating and emergency 
circumstances in individual cases, may extend the 12-month period for not more than 180 
days. The board also, in individual cases, may waive the basic training requirement when 
the facts indicate that an equivalent course has been successfully completed. This section 
does not apply to any person employed as a full-time law enforcement officer by a 
municipality on September 23, 1971 or by a county on July 1, 1972. 
2-A. Probationary employment period; one-year employment contract. Upon 
being hired, a law enforcement officer shall complete an employment probationary period 
that lasts for at least one year after graduation from the academy or the date the board 
waives the basic training requirement. Upon successful completion of basic training or 
board waiver of the basic training requirement, a law enforcement officer shall contract to 
perform at least one year of employment with the municipality, county, State or other 
nonfederal employer that first hired the law enforcement officer. 
2-B. Training regarding people who are homeless. The board shall include in the 
basic law enforcement training program a block of instruction aimed specifically at 
reducing barriers to reporting crimes against people who are homeless and dealing with 
the unique challenges posed by cases that involve victims or witnesses who are homeless. 
2-C. Receipt of firearms; training; procedure; liability. Beginning January 1, 
2008, the Maine Criminal Justice Academy shall provide training for municipal, county 
and state law enforcement officers regarding the proper handling, storage, safekeeping 
and return of firearms and firearm accessories received pursuant to a court order under 
Title 19-A, section 4006, subsection 2-A or Title 19-A, section 4007, subsection 1, 
paragraph A-I. Such training must include education concerning the prohibitions on the 
purchase or possession of a firearm when a protection order has been obtained and 
communication with parties to protection orders concerning such prohibitions. 
I 
In developing materials for training in domestic violence issues, the Maine Criminal 
Justice Academy may consult with a statewide organization involved in advocacy for 
victims of domestic violence and with an organization having statewide membership 
representing the interests of firearms owners. 
A law enforcement officer who receives custody of a firearm pursuant to Title 19-A, 
section 4006, subsection 2-A or Title 19-A, section 4007, subsection I, paragraph A-I 
shall exercise reasonable care to avoid loss, damage or reduction in value of the firearm 
and may not permanently mark the firearm or fire the firearm unless there is reasonable 
suspicion that the firearm has been used in the commission of a crime. Any liability for 
damage or reduction in value to such a firearm is governed by Title 14, chapter 741. 
II 
3. Certification. The board shall certify each law enforcement officer who meets 
the core curriculum training requirements. 
4. Courses. The board shall: 
A. 
Provide a training course, the successful completion of which meets the basic 
IS 
training requirements; 
B. 
Provide a structured residential program that balances the goals of professional 
policing with public services emphasis; and 
C. 
Incorporate a community policing philosophy in its training program. 
5. Application to currently certified law enforcement officers. This section does 
not apply to any law enforcement officer certified as meeting the law enforcement 
training requirements or to any full-time law enforcement officer employed by a state 
agency, including the University of Maine System, as of July I, 1990. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires each law enforcement officer, upon completion of the officer's 
basic training requirement, to contract to perform at least one year of employment with 
the municipality, county, State or other nonfederal employer that first hired the law 
enforcement officer.