Florida Senate - 2015                                     SB 772
       
       
        
       By Senator Smith
       
       
       
       
       
       31-01027-15                                            2015772__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to law enforcement training; providing
    3         legislative findings; requiring Florida Agricultural
    4         and Mechanical University and Florida Memorial
    5         University to establish the Law Enforcement Academy
    6         for Diverse Communities; specifying minimum
    7         requirements for the academy’s curriculum; authorizing
    8         the academy to perform additional functions; providing
    9         an effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Law enforcement academy for diverse
   14  communities.—
   15         (1) The Legislature finds that the establishment of
   16  enhanced law enforcement recruitment and training programs at
   17  historically black colleges and universities will help to
   18  alleviate the racial disparities that exist among those employed
   19  as law enforcement officers, to foster greater understanding and
   20  respect for racial and cultural differences, and to facilitate
   21  the development of effective, noncombative methods of carrying
   22  out law enforcement duties in a racially and culturally diverse
   23  environment.
   24         (2) Contingent upon an appropriation, Florida Agricultural
   25  and Mechanical University and Florida Memorial University shall
   26  establish the Law Enforcement Academy for Diverse Communities.
   27  The purpose of the academy is to enhance the ability of this
   28  state’s law enforcement agencies to specifically recruit,
   29  educate, and employ members of racially and culturally diverse
   30  populations.
   31         (3) In addition to diversity awareness components of basic
   32  recruit training programs approved by the Criminal Justice
   33  Standards and Training Commission, the curriculum of the academy
   34  must, at a minimum, provide for:
   35         (a) Education and training on reforming policing techniques
   36  to eliminate corruption, police brutality, and racial profiling.
   37         (b) An overview of historical, institutional, and societal
   38  barriers that have impacted women and ethnic and racial
   39  minorities who have pursued careers in law enforcement.
   40         (c) Participation in youth mentoring projects that help to
   41  dismantle negative perceptions of law enforcement officers and
   42  support creation of stronger relationships between youth
   43  residing in racially and culturally diverse communities and law
   44  enforcement officers.
   45         (4) The academy may:
   46         (a) Establish data collection and analysis procedures to
   47  facilitate research on racial profiling and stereotyping. Data
   48  collected may be used to educate the public and law enforcement
   49  personnel and to develop policies designed to correct and apply
   50  discipline in instances of racial profiling in connection with
   51  law enforcement activities.
   52         (b) Expand the use of community partnerships and community
   53  policing programs designed to promote further understanding and
   54  respect for racial and cultural differences.
   55         (c) Organize outreach programming and recruitment events
   56  specifically geared toward racially and culturally diverse
   57  populations.
   58         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.