HF 537 (LSB 2698YH (2) 91)

HOUSE FILE 537

BY  WHEELER

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the Iowa law enforcement academy and required annual training.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 80B.11G, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
   80B.11G  Annual training —— de-escalation techniques and prevention of bias.
   1.  A law enforcement agency shall provide annual training to every law enforcement officer on issues relating to de-escalation techniques and the prevention of bias. Every law enforcement officer in the state must participate in annual training in accordance with this section.
   2.  The academy shall develop and disseminate training guidelines for all law enforcement officers consistent with best practice guidelines.
   3.  Every law enforcement officer shall adhere to the training guidelines developed by the academy pursuant to this section. The training guidelines shall include all of the following: instruction on de-escalation techniques, including verbal and physical tactics to minimize the need for the use of force and nonlethal methods of applying force.
   a.  An emphasis on law enforcement officer understanding and respect for diverse communities and the importance of effective, noncombative methods of carrying out law enforcement activities in a diverse community.
   b.  Instruction on diverse communities in order to foster mutual respect and cooperation between law enforcement and members of all diverse communities.
   c.  An examination of the patterns, practices, and protocols that cause biased law enforcement actions, and the tools to prevent such actions.
   d.  An examination and identification of key indices and perspectives that make up differences among residents in a local community.
   e.  Instruction on implicit bias and consideration of the negative impact of bias, whether intentional or implicit, on effective law enforcement, including examination of how historical perceptions of profiling have harmed community relations.
   f.  Instruction on the perspectives of diverse local constituency groups from experts on particular cultural and law enforcement-community relations issues in a local area.
   g.  A presentation of the history and the role of the civil rights movement and the impact on law enforcement.
   h.  Instruction on de-escalation techniques, including verbal and physical tactics to minimize the need for the use of force and nonlethal methods of applying force.
   4.  In developing the training guidelines, the academy shall consult with the Iowa civil rights commission, groups and individuals having an interest and expertise in the field of cultural awareness and diversity, and advocacy organizations with an interest and expertise in the field of biased law enforcement actions. The academy shall also consult with local law enforcement agencies to consider challenges and barriers to providing training under the guidelines and methods to ease the burden on such agencies.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to the Iowa law enforcement academy and required annual training.
   Current law requires every law enforcement officer in the state to participate in annual training on issues relating to de-escalation techniques and the prevention of bias.
   The bill removes the requirement of annual prevention of bias training.