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SCS/SB 38 - This act creates and modifies provisions relating to peace officer standards. CHIEF OF POLICE TRAINING (Section 590.033) This act provides that the POST Commission shall establish a training course for police chiefs that shall be a minimum of 40 hours. All police chiefs appointed after August 28, 2023, shall complete the course within six months of appointment as police chief, unless exempt as provided in the act. Any law enforcement agency who has a police chief who fails to complete the course, shall not receive any POST commission training funding or other state or federal funding until the police chief completes the training course. PEACE OFFICER BASIC TRAINING (Section 590.040) Under current law, the POST Commission sets a minimum number of basic training hours for licensure for peace officers no lower than 470 hours and no higher than 600 with certain exceptions as provided in law. This act changes this requirement to be no lower than 600 hours. DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES FOR PEACE OFFICERS (Section 590.080) This act adds additional grounds for when the Director of the Department of Public Safety shall discipline peace officers. This act provides that any peace officer shall be disciplined who: • Is unable to perform the function of a peace officer with reasonable competency or reasonable safety; • Has committed any crime or has been convicted in a criminal prosecution under any state laws, any federal laws, or any laws of anther country, regardless if a sentence was imposed; • Has committed any act that involves moral turpitude or a reckless disregard for the safety of the public; • Has tested positive for a controlled substance without a valid prescription; • Is subject to an order suspending or revoking a peace officer license from another state, territory, the federal government, or any peace officer licensing authority; or • Has committed any act of gross misconduct indicating inability to function as a peace officer. This act is substantially similar to SB 689 (2022) and to provisions in SCS/HB 2088, et al (2022) and HB 2439 (2022). MARY GRACE PRINGLE
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