House File 401 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 401 BY DIEKEN , WHEELER , and SHIPLEY A BILL FOR An Act relating to a law enforcement agency providing 1 annual training to law enforcement officers relating to 2 de-escalation techniques and the prevention of bias. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2078HT (5) 90 as/rh
H.F. 401 Section 1. Section 80B.11G, Code 2023, is amended to read 1 as follows: 2 80B.11G Annual training —— de-escalation techniques and 3 prevention of bias . 4 1. A law enforcement agency shall provide annual training 5 to every law enforcement officer on issues relating to 6 de-escalation techniques and the prevention of bias . Every law 7 enforcement officer in the state must participate in annual 8 training in accordance with this section . 9 2. The academy shall develop and disseminate training 10 guidelines for all law enforcement officers consistent with 11 best practice guidelines. 12 3. Every law enforcement officer shall adhere to the 13 training guidelines developed by the academy pursuant to this 14 section . The training guidelines shall include all of the 15 following: 16 a. An emphasis on law enforcement officer understanding 17 and respect for diverse communities and the importance of 18 effective, noncombative methods of carrying out law enforcement 19 activities in a diverse community . 20 b. Instruction on diverse communities in order to foster 21 mutual respect and cooperation between law enforcement and 22 members of all diverse communities. 23 c. An examination of the patterns, practices, and protocols 24 that cause biased law enforcement actions, and the tools to 25 prevent such actions. 26 d. An examination and identification of key indices and 27 perspectives that make up differences among residents in a 28 local community. 29 e. Instruction on implicit bias and consideration of the 30 negative impact of bias, whether intentional or implicit, 31 on effective law enforcement, including examination of how 32 historical perceptions of profiling have harmed community 33 relations. 34 f. Instruction on the perspectives of diverse local 35 -1- LSB 2078HT (5) 90 as/rh 1/ 2
H.F. 401 constituency groups from experts on particular cultural and law 1 enforcement-community relations issues in a local area. 2 g. A presentation of the history and the role of the civil 3 rights movement and the impact on law enforcement. 4 h. b. Instruction on de-escalation techniques, including 5 verbal and physical tactics to minimize the need for the use of 6 force and nonlethal methods of applying force. 7 4. In developing the training guidelines, the academy shall 8 consult with the Iowa civil rights commission, groups and 9 individuals having an interest and expertise in the field of 10 cultural awareness and diversity, and advocacy organizations 11 with an interest and expertise in the field of biased law 12 enforcement actions. The academy shall also consult with local 13 law enforcement agencies to consider challenges and barriers to 14 providing training under the guidelines and methods to ease the 15 burden on such agencies. 16 EXPLANATION 17 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 18 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 19 This bill relates to a law enforcement agency providing 20 annual training to law enforcement officers relating to 21 de-escalation techniques and the prevention of bias. 22 Current law requires a law enforcement agency to provide 23 annual training to every law enforcement officer on issues 24 relating to de-escalation techniques and the prevention of 25 bias. 26 The bill removes the requirement that annual training for 27 law enforcement officers include training relating to the 28 prevention of bias, instruction on diverse communities, causes 29 of biased law enforcement actions, instruction on implicit 30 bias, and the history and the role of the civil rights movement 31 and the impact on law enforcement. 32 -2- LSB 2078HT (5) 90 as/rh 2/ 2