Is the training mandated by MN stat. 626.8469 required for officers renewing in 2020?
The short answer is "No", the first group of officers that will be required to have the 16 hours of mandated training will be those officers renewing in 2021.
The information below was first provided by POST in October of 2017 after passage by the legislature. We are providing it here as a refresher for agencies as the 2020 renewal cycle begins.
Watch our website for further information in the near future on the 2020 license renewal process.
626.8469 TRAINING IN CRISIS RESPONSE, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT, AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY.
Subdivision 1. In-service training required. Beginning July 1, 2018, the chief law enforcement officer of every state and local law enforcement agency shall provide in-service training in crisis intervention and mental illness crises; conflict management and mediation; and recognizing and valuing community diversity and cultural differences to include implicit bias training to every peace officer and part-time peace officer employed by the agency. The training shall comply with learning objectives developed and approved by the board and shall meet board requirements for board-approved continuing education credit. The training shall consist of at least 16 continuing education credits within an officer's three-year licensing cycle. Each peace officer with a license renewal date after June 30, 2018, is not required to complete this training until the officer's next full three-year licensing cycle.
Subd. 2. Record keeping required. The head of every local and state law enforcement agency shall maintain written records of the agency's compliance with the requirements of subdivision 1. The documentation is subject to periodic review by the board, and shall be made available to the board at its request.
Subd. 3. Licensing sanctions; injunctive relief. The board may impose licensing sanctions and seek injunctive relief under section 214.11 for failure to comply with the requirements of this section.
History: 2017 c 95 art 3 s 26
How do I know when each officer is required to receive the new mandated training?
The first group of officers who will be required to receive the new mandated training are officers whose licenses expired on June 30, 2018. These officers will start their “full three year licensing cycle” on July 1, 2018. Therefore, these officers will need to complete at least 16 hours of training after July 1, 2018 and finish before June 30, 2021 and every license renewal cycle thereafter.
The second group are officers whose licenses expired on June 30, 2019. These officers will start their “full three year licensing cycle” on July 1, 2019. Therefore, these officers will need to complete at least 16 hours of training after July 1, 2019 and finish before June 30, 2022 and every license renewal cycle thereafter.
The third group are officers whose licenses will expire on June 30, 2020. These officers will start their “full three year licensing cycle” on July 1, 2020. Therefore, these officers will need to complete at least 16 hours of training after July 1, 2020 and finish before June 30, 2023 and every license renewal cycle thereafter.
Will our agency receive reimbursement monies for this training?
Yes, the legislature appropriated $6 million for fiscal years 2018-2021. The $6 million has been added to the existing reimbursement monies.
Specifically how much training is required?
The statute requires officers complete at least 16 hours of continuing education in the three areas: 1) crisis intervention and mental illness crises, 2) conflict management and mediation, and 3) recognizing and valuing community diversity and cultural differences to include implicit bias. That’s 16 hours total - not 16 hours in each topic. Four hours of training in each of two of the topics areas, and 8 in the third would meet the requirement as would any other combination that totaled at least 16 hours but it must include all three areas.
What must the training include?
The statute requires the training comply with the learning objectives that have been developed and approved by the POST Board. https://dps.mn.gov/entity/post/model-policies-learning-objectives/Pages/default.aspx