AB 602 Summary

• Requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to establish by July 1, 2015 a continuing education training course for law enforcement personnel working at state mental hospitals and state developmental centers, covering topics including mental illness, disability characteristics, interview techniques, conflict resolution, hate crimes, and forensic investigations in institutional settings.

• Mandates developmental centers report incidents involving residents (deaths, sexual assaults, assaults with deadly weapons, serious injuries, genital injuries, or broken bones with undetermined cause) to local law enforcement agencies immediately but no later than within two hours of observing or suspecting abuse.

• Requires mandated reporters to report suspected abuse or neglect occurring in state mental hospitals or state developmental centers that results in deaths, sexual assaults, or serious assaults to both state department investigators and local law enforcement agencies within two hours.

• Requires local law enforcement agencies receiving reports of abuse in state mental hospitals or state developmental centers to coordinate investigation efforts with state department investigators.

• Removes the requirement that Department of Developmental Services mandated reporters immediately report suspected abuse to the Office of Protective Services.