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2020 SPECIAL SESSION I

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HB 5133 Police officers, deputy sheriffs, and jail officers; employment and decertification.

Introduced by: Robert B. Bell | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:


Police officers, deputy sheriffs, and jail officers; employment and decertification. Provides that any sheriff or chief of police, the director or chief executive of any agency or department employing deputy sheriffs or law-enforcement officers, and the Director of the Department of Criminal Justice Services shall disclose to a prospective law-enforcement or jail employer any information (i) related to an arrest or prosecution of a former police officer, deputy sheriff, or jail officer; (ii) related to a civil suit regarding a former police officer's, deputy sheriff's, or jail officer's employment or performance of his duties; and (iii) obtained during the course of any internal investigation related to a former police officer's, deputy sheriff's, or jail officer's alleged criminal conduct or use of excessive force. The bill further provides that no police officer, deputy sheriff, or jail officer may be employed by another law-enforcement agency or jail until the requested information is received from all prior employing agencies in the Commonwealth within the last two years.

The bill also requires the sheriff, chief of police, or agency administrator to notify the Criminal Justice Services Board in writing within 48 hours of becoming aware that any certified law-enforcement or jail officer currently employed by his agency has been dismissed because of the use of force or who has resigned subsequent to a complaint against such employee for the use of force or in advance of being dismissed because of the use of force. Upon receiving such notice, the Board shall decertify such law-enforcement or jail officer. The bill also allows the Board to initiate decertification proceedings against any former law-enforcement or jail officer whom the Board has found to have been dismissed from a law-enforcement agency because of the use of force.


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