Continuing Education for Law Enforcement Officers Concerning Domestic or Family Violence; Content of Course

Continuing Education for Law Enforcement Officers Concerning Domestic or Family Violence; Content of Course. (a) The Department of Public Safety shall provide at least two hours of continuing education concerning domestic or family violence to law enforcement officers each year. (b) The course of instruction and the objective in learning and performance for the education of law enforcement officers required pursuant to subsection (a) must be developed and presented in consultation with public and private providers of programs for victims of domestic or family violence and programs of intervention for perpetrators, persons who have demonstrated expertise in training and education concerning domestic or family violence, and the Family Violence Task Force. (c) The course of instruction must include but is not limited to: (1) The investigation and management of cases involving domestic or family violence and writing of reports in such cases; (2) The nature, extent, and causes of domestic or family violence; (3) Practices designated to promote the safety of officers investigating domestic or family violence; (4) Practices designated to promote the safety of the victims of domestic and family violence including but not limited to rights and compensation of victims of crime and enforcement of civil and criminal remedies; (5) The services available to victims of domestic or family violence and their children; (6) Sensitivity to cultural, racial, and sexual issues and the effect of cultural, racial, and gender bias on the response of law enforcement officers and the enforcement of law relating to domestic or family violence; and (7) The provisions of applicable Commonwealth laws concerning domestic or family violence. Source: PL 12-19, § 2 (407), modified.