Peace officer training: mental health training.

Existing law requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to establish and keep updated a continuing education classroom training course for peace officer interactions with persons with mental illnesses or developmental disabilities. Under existing law, this course consists of classroom instruction and utilizes interactive training methods to ensure that training is as realistic as possible. Under existing law, this course includes training in identifying indicators of mental disability, conflict resolution techniques, and alternatives to lethal force. Existing law also requires the commission to develop, in consultation with specified entities, adequate instruction in the handling of persons with developmental disabilities or mental illnesses for inclusion in the basic training course for law enforcement officers. This bill would require the commission, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, to study and submit a report to the Legislature, on or before December 31, 2017, that assesses the statuses of the training courses described above, assesses whether the courses cover all appropriate topics, and identifies areas where additional training may be needed.