53-10-908. Law enforcement -- Training -- Sexual assault, sexual abuse, and human trafficking.

430 words·~2 min read·/ut/title-53/chapter-10/53-10-908

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Effective 5/7/2025

(1)The department and the Utah Prosecution Council shall develop training in trauma-informed responses and investigations of sexual assault and sexual abuse, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a)recognizing the symptoms of trauma;

(b)understanding the impact of trauma on a victim;

(c)responding to the needs and concerns of a victim of sexual assault or sexual abuse;

(d)delivering services to victims of sexual assault or sexual abuse in a compassionate, sensitive, and nonjudgmental manner;

(e)understanding cultural perceptions and common myths of sexual assault and sexual abuse; and

(f)techniques of writing reports in accordance with Subsection

(5).

(a)In accordance with Section 53-6-202 , the department and the Utah Prosecution Council shall offer the training in Subsection

(1)to all certified law enforcement officers in the state.

(b)The training for all law enforcement officers may be offered through an online course, developed by the department and the Utah Prosecution Council.

(3)The training listed in Subsection

(1)shall be offered by the Peace Officer Standards and Training division to all persons seeking certification as a peace officer.

(a)The department and the Utah Prosecution Council shall develop and offer an advanced training course for officers who investigate cases of sexual assault or sexual abuse.

(b)The advanced training course shall include:

(i)all criteria listed in Subsection

(1);

(ii)identifying indicators of a ritual, as that term is defined in Section 76-3-203.19 , in cases of sexual assault; and

(iii)interviewing techniques in accordance with the curriculum standards in Subsection

(5).

(5)The department shall consult with the Utah Prosecution Council to develop the specific training requirements of this section, including curriculum standards for report writing and response to sexual assault and sexual abuse, including trauma-informed and victim-centered interview techniques, which have been demonstrated to minimize retraumatizing victims.

(6)The Office of the Attorney General shall develop and offer training for law enforcement officers in investigating human trafficking offenses.

(7)The training described in Subsection

(6)shall be offered by the Peace Officer Standards and Training division to all persons seeking certification as a peace officer, in conjunction with the training described in Subsection

(1).

(8)The Office of the Attorney General, the department, and the Utah Prosecution Council shall consult with one another to provide the training described in Subsection

(6)jointly with the training described in Subsection

(1)as reasonably practicable.

Amended by Chapter 185 , 2025 General Session