CA Governor Signs Bill to Finance New Police Use-of-Force Training

A month after signing one of the most sweeping use-of-force laws in the country, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a companion measure on Thursday that will finance new training and require police departments to upgrade their policies.

Senate Bill 230 mandates law enforcement agencies to rewrite their use-of-force policies to comply with legislation passed in August that directs law enforcement to use deadly force only when “necessary,” based on the totality of circumstances they encounter, the Sacramento Bee reports.

It also allocates up to $450,000 for the Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training to strengthen guidelines and sets aside more than $10 million for officers to attend the courses.

The commission’s new training will “stress” law enforcement’s role in safeguarding “life, dignity, and liberty of all persons, without prejudice to anyone,” according to the bill analysis.

The coursework will also include use-of-force review and analysis, cultural competency, reporting requirements and how to deescalate situations involving persons with mental illness.