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, detailing funding usage.

Furthermore, the bill revises existing training requirements for police officers, particularly in juvenile matters and interactions with individuals with mental or physical disabilities. It mandates a minimum of twenty-seven hours of training on juvenile issues, including techniques for handling incidents involving juveniles and individuals with autism spectrum disorder or cognitive impairments. The Police Officer Standards and Training Council is tasked with developing curricula for interactions with individuals with mental illness and disabilities, to be implemented by October 1, 2026. The bill also includes a comprehensive study of police training programs, with findings due to the General Assembly by January 1, 2026, and appropriates $1,100,000 from the General Fund 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 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