Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends law enforcement's use of force reporting requirements.

Highlights:

• Defines “officer-involved death” as the death of another that results from a peace officer’s use of force while the officer was on duty or off duty but performing activities that are within the scope of the officer’s law enforcement duties (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes only the state attorney general to charge a peace officer that is alleged to have caused an officer-involved death (Sec. 2).

• Requires each law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the area where an officer-involved death occurred to cooperate with the attorney general (Sec. 2).

• Defines “superintendent” as the superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (Sec. 4).

• Requires the superintendent to form an independent Use of Force Investigations Unit within the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to conduct officer-involved death investigations (Sec. 4).

• Establishes that the unit shall investigate all criminal sexual conduct cases involving peace officers, chief law enforcement officers, and investigate conflict of interest cases involving peace officers and other public officials accused of crimes (Sec. 4).

• Requires the superintendent to make all case files publicly available on the bureau’s website within 30 days of the end of the last criminal appeal of a subject of an investigation (Sec. 4).

• Authorizes peace officers to use deadly use of force only when necessary in defense of human life, and evaluate each individual situation separately and to use special care when interacting with individuals with physical, mental health, developmental, or intellectual disabilities (Sec. 6).

• Prohibits a peace officer from using deadly force against an individual based on the danger they pose to themselves if the officer believes the individual does not pose an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm to the peace officer (Sec. 7).

• Requires a defendant charged with a misdemeanor offense to be released on personal recognizance or an unsecured bond unless the court determines that there is a substantial likelihood that the defendant will not appear at future court proceedings or poses a threat to the victim’s safety (Sec. 9).

• Prohibits a court from imposing a financial condition of release on a defendant that results in the pretrial detention of the defendant (Sec. 9).

Full Bill Text