AL SB80

Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission shall require sensitivity training in all law enforcement officer academy courses, developed in collaboration with the Alabama Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers or similar organization.

All certified law enforcement officers must complete sensitivity training beginning January 1, 2025, covering social/ethnic/racial bias, cultural competency, diversity, de-escalation tactics, and interactions with minorities, disabled persons, mentally ill individuals, and unlawfully present aliens.

State and local law enforcement agencies must recruit clinically-licensed social workers into the law enforcement officer workforce starting January 1, 2025, to assist with human behavior, crisis intervention, diversity, ethics, and diagnostic assessments in high-intensity situations.

Uniformed law enforcement officers who carry firearms must also carry a non-lethal weapon and receive training in its appropriate use.

The commission shall submit compliance reports to the Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore of the Senate before each regular legislative session; the act becomes effective October 1, 2024.