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Missouri POST Commission approves new rules to strengthen law enforcement officer training standards

Commission’s action meets Gov. Nixon’s deadline for new standards in areas of tactical training, fair and impartial policing, and health and officer well-being

 

JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission today approved strengthening Missouri’s police officer training standards, requiring training in the areas of police tactics, including de-escalation techniques; fair and impartial policing, including implicit bias recognition; handling individuals with mental health and cognitive impairment issues; and officer well-being, including mental health awareness.

 

The commission also raised by 50 percent the number of hours of continuing education officers must receive to retain their licenses, from a total of 48 hours every three years to 24 hours each year. The action meets Gov. Jay Nixon’s Aug. 6 directive to the commission and the Department of Public Safety to put forward new rules for effective and ongoing training in those areas by Dec. 1.

 

“The rules put forward today are the result of public meetings around the state with concerned citizens, rank-and-file officers, law enforcement leaders and training academy directors,” Department of Public Safety Director Lane Roberts said. “They represent meaningful, achievable change that meets the Governor’s charge benefitting the public and Missouri’s law enforcement officers. I believe these changes in the critical areas of tactical training, fair and impartial policing, interacting with people with mental health issues, and officer health and well-being will help make the people of our state safer and strengthen law enforcement.”

 

“Realistic, relevant and up-to-date training for our law enforcement officers is one of the best ways to help make sure that policing in our state is community-oriented, fair, respectful and effective,” POST Commission Chairman Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol said. “I thank my fellow POST commissioners and the people from around the state who participated in this process.”

 

The updated standards, which include the most sweeping changes for continuing education requirements for Missouri law enforcement officers since 1996, include:

 

[if !supportLists]·         [endif]Mandating that training at all basic law enforcement training academies include training in the subject areas of:

[if !supportLists]o   [endif]Fair and impartial policing practices, including implicit bias recognition.

[if !supportLists]o   [endif]Tactical training, including de-escalation techniques, crisis management, critical thinking and social intelligence.

[if !supportLists]o   [endif]Handling persons with mental health and cognitive impairment issues.

[if !supportLists]o   [endif]Officer well-being, including mental health awareness.

[if !supportLists]·         [endif]Requiring all licensed officers receive two hours of training each year in each of those same four critical areas – fair and impartial policing; tactical training, including de-escalation; handling persons with mental health and cognitive impairment; and officer well-being.

[if !supportLists]·         [endif]Requiring all licensed officers receive 24 hours of training each year to maintain their licenses, instead of obtaining 48 hours every three years, representing at 50 percent increase in required continuing education training hours.

 

On Aug. 6, Gov. Jay Nixon directed the POST Commission and the Department of Public Safety to put forward by Dec. 1 new rules to improve access to effective and ongoing training in the key areas of tactical training, fair and impartial policing, and the health and well-being of officers. The Governor’s directive included holding public meetings around the state to gather input from Missourians, including law enforcement agencies, advocacy groups and other stakeholders. Six public meetings were held between Sept. 1 and Oct. 14 in Springfield, Jefferson City, Ferguson, Sikeston, Kansas City and Kirksville.

 

As required by state statute, the new POST rules will be filed with the Missouri Secretary of State and the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.