Substitute Bill No. 7202 seeks to improve law enforcement training in Connecticut by establishing two significant initiatives: a social work and law enforcement project at Southern Connecticut State University and a police training center at Central Connecticut State University. The social work project aims to integrate social work services into law enforcement, fostering collaboration between social workers and police officers while addressing diversity and systemic racism. The police training center will focus on education related to crime scene processing and forensic evidence analysis. The bill requires the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection to enter into memoranda of understanding with the universities by January 1, 2026, and stipulates that any funding used for purposes outside of training must receive written authorization.

Furthermore, the bill amends existing training requirements for police officers, particularly concerning juvenile matters and interactions with individuals with mental or physical disabilities. It repeals and replaces certain sections of the general statutes to update training hours and content, mandating a minimum of twenty-seven hours of juvenile training and the development of curricula for interactions with individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other disabilities. The bill also extends the deadlines for implementing these training requirements to January 1, 2026, and requires that training programs include crisis intervention strategies. Additionally, it mandates a comprehensive study of police training programs, with findings due to the joint standing committee on public safety and security by January 1, 2026, and appropriates $1.1 million to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, to support these initiatives. The provisions of the bill will take effect on July 1, 2025, with certain sections becoming effective upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 7-294h, 7-294v
PS Joint Favorable Substitute: 7-294h, 7-294v
File No. 527: 7-294h, 7-294v
APP Joint Favorable: 7-294h, 7-294v