LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) released the following statement today after the Michigan Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 945, that would require all incoming law enforcement officers to complete training on implicit bias, de-escalation techniques, and mental health screening as part of the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) certification requirements:
“I’m happy to see the passage of SB 945, which requires continuing education and training in violence de-escalation, mental health screening, and implicit bias, but we shouldn’t forget it’s a small step forward in righting years of unlawful police brutality. Training for police officers is one crucial way the Legislature can improve policing, specifically for those Black and Brown Americans who are disproportionately targeted.”
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