Signed by Governor Ned Lamont

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes an independent inspector general to investigate police shootings and illegal uses of force.

Highlights:

• Requires all police officers in Connecticut sworn in after this bill’s passage, to be certified by the newly-established Police Officer Standards and Training Council within one year of their appointment (Sec. 1).

• Establishes that Section 1 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Police Officer Standards and Training Council to (Sec. 3):

• Develop and periodically update and revise police training plans;

• Approve or revoke any state or municipal police training schools;

• Set the minimum courses of study and attendance for police training schools;

• Set the minimum qualifications for instructors and issue appropriate certifications;

• Require police officers to undergo a urinary test for controlled substances; and

• Develop a periodic behavioral health assessment for officers by January 1, 2021.

• Establishes that Section 3 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 3).

• Requires police officers to undergo recertification as determined by the council (Sec. 4).

• Establishes that Section 4 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 4). 

• Requires officers to undergo cultural competency, sensitivity & bias-free policing training, and implicit bias training (Sec. 7).

• Establishes that Section 7 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 7).

• Requires police departments that serve communities of color to submit a report to the council on their community’s efforts to recruit, retain, and promote officers of color (Sec. 10). 

• Establishes that Section 10 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 10).

• Establishes a task force to study strategies on (Sec. 12):

• How to recruit more officers of color;

• How to recruit more female officers;

• Regulations regarding traffic violations; and 

• How an officer should execute a warrant to enter a residence without giving audible notice that an officer is present.

• Requires the task force to submit their findings to the General Assembly by December 31, 2021 (Sec. 12). 

• Establishes that Section 12 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 12).

• Requires officers to show their badge without covering their badge number and name (Sec. 14).

• Establishes that Section 14 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 14).

• Requires police departments to administer a periodic behavioral health assessment to all of their officers at least once every five years (Sec. 16).

• Establishes that Section 16 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 16).

• Requires police officers to wear body cameras, and their cars to have dashboard cameras (Sec. 19).

• Establishes that Section 19 takes effect on July 1, 2022 (Sec. 19).

• Prohibits the consent of a person given to an officer to search a person, from counting as justification for conducting a search (Sec. 22).

• Establishes that Section 22 takes effect on October 1, 2020 (Sec. 22).

• Establishes that making a discriminatory false police report on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sex, or sexual orientation is a class C felony (Sec. 24).

• Establishes that Section 24 takes effect on October 1, 2020 (Sec. 24).

• Requires police officers to intervene when another officer is unlawfully using force, otherwise they will potentially be prosecuted for any of the same crimes (Sec. 30).

• Establishes that Section 30 takes effect on October 1, 2020 (Sec. 30).

• Establishes the Office of the Inspector General in the Division of Criminal Justice, which has the following powers (Sec. 33):

• Conducting investigations of peace officers;

• Prosecuting any case in which the Inspector General determines an officer used illegal force; and

• Making recommendations to the Training Council concerning censure, suspension, renewal, cancellation, or revocation of an officer’s certification.

• Establishes that the General Assembly must confirm the Inspector General (Sec. 33).

• Establishes that Section 33 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 33).

• Authorizes the Inspector General to investigate cases where someone died as a result of a police-involved shooting (Sec. 34).

• Establishes that Section 34 takes effect on October 1, 2020 (Sec. 34).

• Requires the Medical Examiner to investigate any death that occurs in police custody (Sec. 36).

• Establishes that Section 36 takes effect on October 1, 2020 (Sec. 36).

• Establishes that governmental immunity can only be a defense to a claim for damages when an officer has an objectively reasonable belief that their conduct did not violate the law (Sec. 41). 

• Establishes that Section 41 takes effect on July 1, 2021 (Sec. 41).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes an independent inspector general to investigate police shootings and illegal uses for forces.

Highlights:

• Requires all police officers in Connecticut sworn in after this bill’s passage, to be certified by the newly-established Police Officer Standards and Training Council within one year of their appointment (Sec. 1).

• Establishes that Section 1 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Police Officer Standards and Training Council to (Sec. 3):

• Develop and periodically update and revise police training plans;

• Approve or revoke any state or municipal police training schools;

• Set the minimum courses of study and attendance for police training schools;

• Set the minimum qualifications for instructors and issue appropriate certifications;

• Require police officers to undergo a urinary test for controlled substances; and

• Develop a periodic behavioral health assessment for officers by January 1, 2021.

• Establishes that Section 3 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 3).

• Requires police officers to undergo recertification as determined by the council (Sec. 4).

• Establishes that Section 4 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 4). 

• Requires officers to undergo cultural competency, sensitivity & bias-free policing training, and implicit bias training (Sec. 7).

• Establishes that Section 7 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 7).

• Requires police departments that serve communities of color to submit a report to the council on their community’s efforts to recruit, retain, and promote officers of color (Sec. 10). 

• Establishes that Section 10 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 10).

• Establishes a task force to study strategies on (Sec. 12):

• How to recruit more officers of color;

• How to recruit more female officers;

• Regulations regarding traffic violations; and 

• How an officer should execute a warrant to enter a residence without giving audible notice that an officer is present.

• Requires the task force to submit their findings to the General Assembly by December 31, 2021 (Sec. 12). 

• Establishes that Section 12 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 12).

• Requires officers to show their badge without covering their badge number and name (Sec. 14).

• Establishes that Section 14 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 14).

• Requires police departments to administer a periodic behavioral health assessment to all of their officers at least once every five years (Sec. 16).

• Establishes that Section 16 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 16).

• Requires police officers to wear body cameras, and their cars to have dashboard cameras (Sec. 19).

• Establishes that Section 19 takes effect on July 1, 2022 (Sec. 19).

• Prohibits the consent of a person given to an officer to search a person, from counting as justification for conducting a search (Sec. 22).

• Establishes that Section 22 takes effect on October 1, 2020 (Sec. 22).

• Establishes that making a discriminatory false police report on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sex, or sexual orientation is a class C felony (Sec. 24).

• Establishes that Section 24 takes effect on October 1, 2020 (Sec. 24).

• Requires police officers to intervene when another officer is unlawfully using force, otherwise they will potentially be prosecuted for any of the same crimes (Sec. 30).

• Establishes that Section 30 takes effect on October 1, 2020 (Sec. 30).

• Establishes the Office of the Inspector General in the Division of Criminal Justice, which has the following powers (Sec. 33):

• Conducting investigations of peace officers;

• Prosecuting any case in which the Inspector General determines an officer used illegal force; and

• Making recommendations to the Training Council concerning censure, suspension, renewal, cancellation, or revocation of an officer’s certification.

• Establishes that the General Assembly must confirm the Inspector General (Sec. 33).

• Establishes that Section 33 takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 33).

• Authorizes the Inspector General to investigate cases where someone died as a result of a police-involved shooting (Sec. 34).

• Establishes that Section 34 takes effect on October 1, 2020 (Sec. 34).

• Requires the Medical Examiner to investigate any death that occurs in police custody (Sec. 36).

• Establishes that Section 36 takes effect on October 1, 2020 (Sec. 36).

• Establishes that governmental immunity can only be a defense to a claim for damages when an officer has an objectively reasonable belief that their conduct did not violate the law (Sec. 41). 

• Establishes that Section 41 takes effect on July 1, 2021 (Sec. 41).

Full Bill Text