De-escalation: Pennsylvania Training Requirements
Training
Citation
Summary & Notes
Relevant Excerpt
The Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission will provide training for police officers regarding recognition and interaction with persons with mental illnesses and disabilities.
Section 3. Section 2164(1.1) and (6) of Title 53 are amended and the section is amended by adding paragraphs to read:
§ 2164. Powers and duties of commission. The powers and duties of the commission shall be as follows:
(1.1) To provide training for police officers with respect to:
(i) Recognition of mental illness, intellectual disabilities and autism.
(ii) Proper techniques to interact with and deescalate individuals engaging in behavior indicative of mental illness, intellectual disability or autism.
(iii) Instruction on services available to individuals with mental illness, intellectual disabilities or autism.
(iv) Instruction on interacting with individuals of diverse racial, ethnic and economic backgrounds.
Every police officer is required to attend in-service training that instructs on de-escalation and harm reduction techniques, and will also include, on a biennial basis, instruction in community and cultural awareness, implicit bias, procedural justice and reconciliation techniques as developed by the commission.
Section 3. Section 2164(1.1) and (6) of Title 53 are amended and the section is amended by adding paragraphs to read:
§ 2164. Powers and duties of commission. The powers and duties of the commission shall be as follows:
6) To require every police officer to attend a minimum number of hours of in-service training as provided for by regulation to maintain certification by the commission, unless the officer's employer files a show cause document with the commission requesting additional time for the officer to comply with the in-service training requirements. Approval of this request shall be made by the commission on a case-by-case basis. In-service training shall require annual instruction on the use of force, including deadly force, deescalation and harm reduction techniques, and shall include on a biennial basis instruction in community and cultural awareness, implicit bias, procedural justice and reconciliation techniques as developed by the commission.