Bill Summary
This proposed legislation, known as the "Law Enforcement Immersive Training Act of 2019," aims to develop a training program for law enforcement personnel that uses real-life scenarios to better prepare them for their duties. The bill acknowledges the issues of police misconduct and aims to improve community-police relations, officer safety, resilience, and situational awareness, among other areas of training. The training curriculum will be developed by the Attorney General, in consultation with various law enforcement and community organizations, and will include a certification process for successful implementation. The bill also authorizes grants for states, local governments, and other entities to provide access to this training program. Reports will be required from grant recipients and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, with the goal of continuously improving the training curriculum and grant program. The bill does not allocate additional funds, but rather utilizes existing funds from the Department of Justice. The legislation includes definitions for key terms, such as "community-based organizations," "immersive, real-life, scenario-based training," and "professional law enforcement association."
Possible Impacts
1. This legislation could positively affect law enforcement personnel by providing them with access to an immersive, real-life, scenario-based training curriculum. This could improve their skills in areas such as community-police relations, officer safety, and de-escalation, leading to more effective and responsible policing.
2. This legislation could also positively impact communities by addressing the issue of police misconduct and promoting better relationships between law enforcement and civilians. By consulting with community-based organizations and implementing best practices in training, the curriculum could help to address and prevent instances of police brutality and misconduct.
3. This legislation could have financial implications for states and other entities seeking to implement the curriculum. They would need to apply for grants and potentially allocate additional resources for training and certification. However, the long-term benefits of improved policing and community relations could outweigh these costs.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 2329 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2329 To develop an immersive, real-life, scenario-based training curriculum for law enforcement personnel, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 15, 2019 Mr. Ryan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To develop an immersive, real-life, scenario-based training curriculum for law enforcement personnel, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Law Enforcement Immersive Training Act of 2019''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) Grassroots organizations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Council of La Raza, the National Urban League, National Congress of American Indians, and the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium have monitored the issue of police misconduct. (2) Membership associations like the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association, National Asian Pacific Officers Association, National Black Police Association, National Latino Peace Officers Association, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Women in Law Enforcement, Native American Law Enforcement Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Sheriffs' Association, Fraternal Order of Police, and National Association of School Resource Officers have worked for the needs of Federal, State, local, and Indian tribal law enforcement groups and with the civilian community on matters of common interest. SEC. 3. LAW ENFORCEMENT IMMERSIVE TRAINING CURRICULUM. (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, shall develop an immersive, real-life, scenario-based training curriculum for use in accordance with the grant program under section 4. (b) Curriculum.--In developing the curriculum under subsection (a), the Attorney General shall-- (1) develop an immersive, real-life, scenario-based training curriculum, which addresses-- (A) improving community-police relations; (B) officer safety; (C) officer resilience; (D) situational awareness; (E) physical and emotional responses to stress; (F) critical decision-making and problem-solving; (G) de-escalation; (H) use of force and deadly force; and (I) crisis intervention; (2) consult with relevant professional law enforcement associations, community-based organizations, and defense and national security agencies in the development and dissemination of the curriculum; (3) provide expertise and technical assistance to entities seeking to implement the curriculum; (4) evaluate best practices of immersive, real-life, scenario-based training methods and curriculum content to maintain state-of-the-art expertise in immersive, real-life, scenario-based learning methodology; and (5) develop a certification process for entities that have successfully implemented the curriculum. SEC. 4. LAW ENFORCEMENT IMMERSIVE TRAINING GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In General.--Beginning on the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, is authorized to make grants to States, units of local government, Indian tribal governments, other public and private entities, and multi- jurisdictional or regional consortia to provide law enforcement personnel with access to an immersive, real-life, scenario-based training curriculum that is substantially similar to the curriculum developed under section 3. (b) Application.--An applicant seeking a grant under this section shall submit to the Attorney General an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Attorney General may reasonably require. (c) Reports.-- (1) Grantee reports.--On the date that is one year after receiving a grant under this section, each grant recipient shall submit to the Attorney General a report on-- (A) any benefits of, and barriers to, delivering the curriculum to law enforcement personnel; and (B) recommendations for improving the access of law enforcement personnel to immersive, real-life, scenario-based training. (2) Office of community oriented policing services reports.--Not later than one year after initially awarding grants under this section, and annually thereafter, the Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, shall submit to Congress a report on-- (A) the number of entities that received grants under this section; (B) the cumulative number and proportion of law enforcement personnel in each State that received training under the immersive, real-life, scenario-based training curriculum described in section 3, or a curriculum that is substantially similar to such curriculum; (C) any benefits of, and barriers to, delivering such curriculum to law enforcement personnel; (D) recommendations for improving the curriculum developed under section 3; and (E) recommendations for improving the grant program under this section. (d) Funding.--No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act. The Attorney General shall carry out this Act using unobligated amounts that are otherwise made available to the Department of Justice. SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) Community-based organizations.--The term ``community- based organization'' means a grassroots organization that monitors the issue of police misconduct and that has a national presence and membership. (2) Immersive, real-life, scenario-based training.--The term ``immersive, real-life, scenario-based training'' means the use of simulations and role-playing to place law enforcement personnel in an interactive learning environment to replicate real-life scenarios or teach particular skills or techniques. (3) Professional law enforcement association.--The term ``professional law enforcement association'' means a law enforcement membership association that works for the needs of Federal, State, local, or Indian tribal law enforcement groups and with the civilian community on matters of common interest. (4) State.--The term ``State'' means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any possession of the United States. <all>