2023 Rhode Island General Laws › Title 42 - State Affairs and Government › Chapter 42-28.2 - Police Officers — Commission on Standards and Training › Section 42-28.2-8.4. - Training on calls involving individuals with cognitive or communication-related disabilities — Educational requirements.

§ 42-28.2-8.4. Training on calls involving individuals with cognitive or communication-related disabilities — Educational requirements.
(a)
The commission on standards and training shall prepare and publish mandatory training standards to provide instruction for police officers in identifying, responding to, handling, investigating, and reporting all incidents involving victims, witnesses, or suspects with cognitive or communication-related disabilities and shall develop guidelines for law enforcement responses to incidents involving such persons. Instruction and guidelines shall include:
(1)
Identifying and recognizing cognitive and communication-related disabilities for the benefit of victims, witnesses, and suspects; the availability of community resources for persons experiencing emergencies; and the protection of persons with cognitive and communication- related disabilities and for law enforcement officers engaging such persons; and
(2)
Providing information to law enforcement officers to recognize the signs and symptoms of common cognitive and communication-related disabilities; de-escalating crisis situations safely; and initiating timely referrals to resources available in the community.
(b)
The commission shall include training in all curricula for recruits and in-service trainees in all police academies operating or certified by the commission.
(c)
All law enforcement trainees shall participate in the course of basic training for law enforcement officers, established in this section, as part of their required certification process.
(d)
Training presenters shall include:
(1)
Intellectual/developmental disabilities and communication disabilities practitioners with expertise in the delivery of direct services to individuals with cognitive disabilities or communication-related disabilities; and
(2)
Individuals with cognitive disabilities or communication-related disabilities.
(e)
The course of instruction; the learning and performance objectives; the standards for training; and the guidelines shall be developed by the commission on standards and training in consultation with practitioners and advocates having an interest and expertise in providing services and supports to individuals with cognitive disabilities or communication-related disabilities in community-based settings.
(f)
Training presentations may utilize the staff of community-based providers of services and supports for individuals with cognitive disabilities and communication-related disabilities, as well as videos or webinars developed by other federal, state, or municipal law enforcement agencies.
(g)
As used in this section, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings:
(1)
“Police detective” means any member of a municipal police department or a department in the state that is assigned to conduct investigations of complaints.
(2)
The terms “cognitive disabilities” and “communication-related disabilities” mean a severe, chronic disability of a person that:
(i)
Is attributable to a mental or physical impairment;
(ii)
Is likely to continue indefinitely; or
(iii)
Results in substantial functional limitations in receptive or expressive language.
History of Section.
P.L. 2023, ch. 271, § 1, effective June 22, 2023; P.L. 2023, ch. 272, § 1, effective June 22, 2023.