Section 116K: Municipal police training committee; basic and in-service training programs on mental wellness and suicide prevention

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Section 116K.

(a)The municipal police training committee shall develop and establish, within its recruit basic training curriculum and its in-service training curriculum available to in-service trainees, a course for police training schools, academies and programs for the training of law enforcement officers on mental wellness and suicide prevention. The course, which shall consist of 2 hours of total instruction annually, shall teach law enforcement officers how to:

(i)utilize healthy coping skills to manage the stress and trauma of policing;

(ii)recognize the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder within themselves and other officers; and

(iii)recognize the signs of suicidal behavior within themselves and other officers.

(b)The course shall include information on the mental health resources available to help law enforcement officers and shall be designed to reduce and eliminate the stigma associated with law enforcement officers receiving mental health services.

(c)The course of instruction shall be developed by the municipal police training committee in consultation with appropriate groups and individuals having an interest and expertise in law enforcement mental health and suicide prevention.

(d)All law enforcement officers shall annually attend and complete a course on mental wellness and suicide prevention.