HB 1248 Summary

• Chief executive officers must appear before the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training to request approval for creating new or reactivating inactive law enforcement agencies, presenting funding mechanisms, agency policies (use of force, vehicle pursuit, professional conduct, biased-based policing), and organizational structure.

• Agencies employing law enforcement officers trained at state-funded academies within 18 months of training completion must reimburse the original training agency on a sliding scale: 100% if hired within 2 months, declining to 20% if hired between 14-18 months after completion.

• Redefined "part-time law enforcement officer" to mean an officer working 24 hours per week or less (changed from less than 20 hours) and "full-time law enforcement officer" to mean more than 24 hours per week (changed from 40 or more hours).

• The Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training must review officer certifications and eligibility when an employing agency reports separation for specified reasons including failure to meet qualifications, violation of law or agency regulations, or resignation during pending internal investigations.

• Constables holding office July 31, 2007 are exempt from certain training requirements if they completed Part-time Law Enforcement Officer training or higher and mandatory racial profiling courses.