New law aimed at holding law enforcement officers more accountable
The Rankin County goon squad
JACKSON, Miss -A new state law on the books will help hold law enforcement officers more accountable.
The legislation passed in the House and Senate was recently signed into law by Governor Tate Reeves.
It was crafted in light of the Rankin County Goon Squad.
The new law is a way to police the police.
It increases the oversight of officers and hands down stiffer consequences for misconduct.
“It was a home run for the House, it was a home run for the legislature, and will be a home run for law enforcement all over the state of Mississippi,” said Representative Fred Shanks, who represents District 60.
Shanks said this is a proud moment for him, knowing the governor signed into law a piece of legislation he helped write.
“That’ll get you a better police officer, a better department, and just a better product in general,” said Shanks.
The new law brings more accountability to law enforcement and gives more responsibility to the State Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training when it comes to officer misconduct. In the past, the board could only accept complaints.
However, this new law now allows the board to respond to and investigate complaints or allegations.
“The board will have investigative authority, and we’ve also allotted enough money to hire two investigators to look into misconduct,” the state lawmaker explained.
The board can even pull an officer’s certificate if the officer is found guilty of misconduct.
“And therefore, they wouldn’t be a law enforcement officer anymore without that certificate,” said Shanks.
There will be 13 members on the new board.
The governor will appoint six people: two police chiefs, two sheriffs, a district attorney, and the director of the MS Law Enforcement Officers’ Training Academy.
The other seven members include the Attorney General or Deputy Attorney General, the Director of Highway Patrol, the Public Safety Commissioner, the President of the Chiefs of the Police Association, the President of the Constable Association, the President of Campus Law Enforcement, and the President of the Sheriffs’ Association (or their designees).
“It’s truly a board made up of Public Safety Officials, instead of other individuals from different sectors,” said Commissioner Sean Tindell, who’s with the Department of Public Safety.
The new law also requires all officers to undergo mandatory training.
That training would include a variety of things, from firearm training to de-escalation techniques.
In addition, deputies, sheriffs, and state law enforcement would join police officers in the requirement to have their training each year. Those who fail to get such training could lose their certifications.
Each year, the board will have to report on its findings to the legislature and the governor.
“Police departments have always had to get continuing education. Your sheriff’s departments and your state law enforcement were not required to get continuing education,” said Tindell. “Now all of our law enforcement across the state are going to have to get continuing education, so I think that’s important.”
Now that the governor has signed this bill into law, it’ll go into effect on July 1.
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