Hello All,
I thought the hearing detailed below might be of interest to you relative to the training of law enforcement on handling incidents involving persons with mental illness.
Pursuant to Chapter 3 of the Resolves of 2008, the Special Commission on Police Training will hold a Public Hearing on December 1, 2009 from 11AM-3PM in Room A-1 of the State House. The Commission is charged with investigating and developing recommendations for the possible implementation of a statewide law enforcement training program to coordinate municipal law enforcement training and to create more efficient law enforcement facilities, staffing instruction and preparedness.
Chairman Timilty and Chairman Costello would like to hold this public hearing to hear from the appointed members of the Commission, as well as other interested parties, as to what areas of interest we should concentrate our efforts while making the required recommendations. If you are aware of anyone who may be interested in attending, please pass this information on to them. We will be working within a limited time frame with respect to the Commission’s report.
If you have any questions feel free to contact Jennifer Crawford in Chairman Costello’s office at 617.722.2230 or jennifer.crawford@state.ma.us, or Matthew Moran in Chairman Timilty’s Office at 617.722.1222 or matthew.moran@state.ma.us.
Chapter 3 of the Resolves of 2008
RESOLVE PROVIDING FOR AN INVESTIGATION AND STUDY BY A SPECIAL COMMISSION RELATIVE TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATEWIDE LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM.
Resolved, That a special commission is hereby established for the purpose of conducting an investigation and study of the feasibility of establishing a statewide law enforcement training program to coordinate municipal law enforcement training and creating more efficient law enforcement facilities, staffing instruction and preparedness. The commission shall also study and make recommendations relative to the training provided to law enforcement officers in handling incidents involving persons with mental illness. The commission shall conduct at least 1 public hearing.
The commission shall consist of the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public safety and homeland security, who shall serve as co-chairs of the commission; 1 member to be appointed by the senate president; 1 member to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; 1 member to be appointed by the senate minority leader; 1 member to be appointed by the house minority leader; the colonel of state police or his designee; the secretary of public safety or his designee; the commissioner of correction; and 1 representative from each of the following organizations: the State Police Association of Massachusetts; the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association; the Massachusetts Coalition of Police, the municipal police training committee; the Massachusetts Sheriffs Association; the Massachusetts Harbormasters Association and the Massachusetts Campus Police Chiefs Association.
The commission shall report to the general court the results of its investigation and study and its recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect by filing the same with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives not later than 120 days after the first meeting of the commission.
Approved July 16, 2008.