This document includes House Committee Amendments incorporated into the bill on Mon, Feb 22, 2021 at 12:04 PM by pflowers.
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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill provides for domestic violence and lethality assessment training for law
10 enforcement officers and reporting requirements.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ requires the Department of Public Safety and Peace Officer Standards and Training
14 create a training program for law enforcement officers in:
15 • recognizing domestic violence indicators;
16 • providing lethality assessments; and
17 • writing reports on incidents; and
18 ▸ directs the Division of Child and Family Services to work with to the Department of
19 Public Safety and the State Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice with data
20 on domestic violence for reporting to the Legislature.
21 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
22 None
23 Other Special Clauses:
24 None
25 Utah Code Sections Affected:
26 ENACTS:
27 78B-7-120, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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29 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
30 Section 1. Section 78B-7-120 is enacted to read:
31 78B-7-120. Law enforcement -- Training -- Domestic violence -- Lethality
32 assessments.
33 (1) The Department of Public Safety shall develop training in domestic violence
34 responses and lethality assessment protocols, which include the following:
35 (a) recognizing the symptoms of domestic violence and trauma;
36 (b) an evidence-based assessment to identify victims of domestic violence who may be
37 at a high risk of being killed by a perpetrator;
38 (c) lethality assessment protocols and interviewing techniques, including indicators of
39 strangulation;
40 (d) responding to the needs and concerns of a victim of domestic violence;
41 (e) delivering services to victims of domestic violence in a compassionate, sensitive,
42 and professional manner; and
43 (f) understanding cultural perceptions and common myths of domestic violence.
44 (2) Ĥ→ [
44a domestic
45 violence issues to all certified law enforcement officers in the state.
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47 being certified as a peace officer.
48 (3) Training in domestic violence issues shall be incorporated into training offered by
49 the Peace Officer Standards and Training division to all persons seeking certification as a peace
50 officer.
51 (4) The department shall develop specific training curriculums that meet the
52 requirements of this section, including:
53 (a) response to domestic violence incidents, including trauma-informed and
54 victim-centered interview techniques;
55 (b) lethality assessment protocols which have been demonstrated to minimize
56 retraumatizing victims; and
57 (c) standards for report writing.
58 (5) The Department of Public Safety, in partnership with the Division of Child and
59 Family Services and the Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, shall work to identify
60 aggregate domestic violence data to include:
61 (a) lethality assessments;
62 (b) the prevalence of stalking;
63 (c) strangulation;
64 (d) violence in the presence of children; and
65 (e) threats of suicide or homicide.
66 (6) The Department of Public Safety, with support from the Commission on Criminal
67 and Juvenile Justice and the Division of Child and Family Services shall provide
68 recommendations to the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee not later
69 than July 31 of each year and in the commission's annual report required by Section
70 63M-7-205.