Bill Text: CT SB00418 | 2011 | General Assembly | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: An Act Concerning Recertification Of Retired Police Officers.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-04-06 - Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate [SB00418 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2011-SB00418-Comm_Sub.html

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General Assembly		Substitute Bill No. 418
January Session, 2011		*_____SB00418PD____040511____*

AN ACT CONCERNING RECERTIFICATION OF RETIRED POLICE OFFICERS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 7-294d of the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2011):

(a) The Police Officer Standards and Training Council shall have the following powers:

(1) To develop and periodically update and revise a comprehensive municipal police training plan;

(2) To approve, or revoke the approval of, any police training school and to issue certification to such schools and to revoke such certification;

(3) To set the minimum courses of study and attendance required and the equipment and facilities to be required of approved police training schools;

(4) To set the minimum qualifications for law enforcement instructors and to issue appropriate certification to such instructors;

(5) To require that all probationary candidates receive the hours of basic training deemed necessary before being eligible for certification, such basic training to be completed within one year following the appointment as a probationary candidate, unless the candidate is granted additional time to complete such basic training by the council;

(6) To require the registration of probationary candidates with the academy within ten days of hiring for the purpose of scheduling training;

(7) To issue appropriate certification to police officers who have satisfactorily completed minimum basic training programs;

(8) To require that each police officer satisfactorily complete at least forty hours of certified review training every three years in order to maintain certification, unless the officer is granted additional time not to exceed one year to complete such training by the council;

(9) To renew the certification of those police officers who have satisfactorily completed review training programs;

(10) To renew the certification of any retired police officer who applies and pays for said certification;

[(10)] (11) To establish uniform minimum educational and training standards for employment as a police officer in full-time positions, temporary or probationary positions and part-time or voluntary positions;

[(11)] (12) To visit and inspect police basic training schools and to inspect each school at least once each year;

[(12)] (13) To consult with and cooperate with universities, colleges and institutes for the development of specialized courses of study for police officers in police science and police administration;

[(13)] (14) To consult with and cooperate with departments and agencies of this state and other states and the federal government concerned with police training;

[(14)] (15) To employ an executive director and, within available appropriations, to employ any other personnel that may be necessary in the performance of its functions;

[(15)] (16) To perform any other acts that may be necessary and appropriate to carry out the functions of the council as set forth in sections 7-294a to 7-294e, inclusive, as amended by this act;

[(16)] (17) To accept contributions, grants, gifts, donations, services or other financial assistance from any governmental unit, public agency or the private sector;

[(17)] (18) To conduct any inspection and evaluation that may be necessary to determine if a law enforcement unit is complying with the provisions of this section;

[(18)] (19) At the request and expense of any law enforcement unit, to conduct general or specific management surveys;

[(19)] (20) To develop objective and uniform criteria for granting any waiver of regulations or procedures established by the council;

[(20)] (21) To recruit, select and appoint candidates to the position of probationary candidate, as defined in section 7-294a, and provide recruit training for candidates of the Connecticut Police Corps program in accordance with the Police Corps Act, 42 USC 14091 et seq., as amended from time to time;

[(21)] (22) To develop, adopt and revise, as necessary, comprehensive accreditation standards for the administration and management of law enforcement units, to grant accreditation to those law enforcement units that demonstrate their compliance with such standards and, at the request and expense of any law enforcement unit, to conduct such surveys as may be necessary to determine such unit's compliance with such standards; and

[(22)] (23) To appoint any council training instructor, or such other person as determined by the council, to act as a special police officer throughout the state as such instructor or other person's official duties may require, provided any such instructor or other person so appointed shall be a certified police officer. Each such special police officer shall be sworn and may arrest and present before a competent authority any person for any offense committed within the officer's precinct.

(b) No person may be employed as a police officer by any law enforcement unit for a period exceeding one year unless [he has been] certified under the provisions of subsection (a) of this section or [has been] granted an extension by the council. No person may serve as a police officer during any period when his or her certification has been cancelled or revoked pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section. In addition to the requirements of this subsection, the council may establish other qualifications for the employment of police officers and require evidence of fulfillment of these qualifications. The certification of any police officer who is not employed by a law enforcement unit for a period of time in excess of two years, unless such officer is on leave of absence, shall be considered lapsed. Upon reemployment as a police officer, such officer shall apply for recertification in a manner provided by the council, provided, if such officer is retired, such officer may apply to renew his or her certification even if such officer is not reemployed as a police officer. The council shall certify any applicant who presents evidence of satisfactory completion of a program or course of instruction in another state equivalent in content and quality to that required in this state, provided [he] the applicant passes an examination or evaluation as required by the council.

Sec. 2. Section 7-294e of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2011):

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any general statute or special act or local law, ordinance or charter to the contrary, each police officer or retired police officer shall forfeit his or her appointment and position unless recertified by the council according to procedures and within the time frame established by the council.

(b) The Police Officer Standards and Training Council may adopt any regulations it deems necessary to carry out the provisions of section 7-294a, subsection (a) of section 7-294b, sections 7-294c, 7-294d, as amended by this act, and this section in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, giving due consideration to the varying factors and special requirements of law enforcement units. Such regulations shall be binding upon all law enforcement units, except the Division of State Police within the Department of Public Safety.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	October 1, 2011	7-294d(a) and (b)
Sec. 2	October 1, 2011	7-294e

PS	Joint Favorable Subst.
PD	Joint Favorable