POLICE TRAINING

The state of Michigan is preparing to unveil new guidelines for implicit bias training for employees, particularly those in health care.

DETROIT – Michigan State Police has launched a new site where they are publishing data on traffic stops and other arrests broken down by county, race and other factors. Michigan State Police (MSP) Director Col. Joe Gasper today announced the creation of a new Transparency and Accountability webpage that provides the public with easy access to information about the administration and operation of the MSP. Information includes department policies, strategic plan, training requirements, recruiting and staffing numbers and use of force and traffic stop data, among other topics. MSP said much of the information posted on the webpage was already publicly available, but the new webpage puts it all in one location for ease of access. Once this advanced research and analysis is completed, the results will be shared publicly.

LANSING, Mich. Michigan legislators passed a new bill Thursday that establishes mandatory training for incoming law enforcement officers on implicit bias, de-escalation techniques and mental health screening. Officials say some Michigan police departments already require some form of de-escalation, cultural competency or implicit bias training, but it is not currently required as part of law enforcement officers Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards training. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer showed support for Bill 945 in a Facebook post Wednesday. She also urged law enforcement to prioritize policies requiring officers to intervene if they see a colleague doing something wrong. The passage of Senate Bill 945 is a necessary step in the right direction.

LANSING, Mich. Michigan Senator Jeff Irwin introduced a new bill to increase law enforcement training that focuses on de-escalation techniques amid a national outcry to end police brutality. Irwins Bill 945 would ensure all incoming police officers receive training on de-escalation techniques, implicit bias and mental health screening as part of their certification. Great police agencies are already training their officers in implicit bias and mental health screening. The Legislature needs to make these best practices in police training the law.The Michigan bill comes just after a 46-year-old black Minneapolis man was killed by police officers using excessive force on Memorial Day. Read: Swift firings for 4 white Minneapolis officers in death of black manFloyds tragic death was captured on video and has garnered national attention, fueling violent protests in Minneapolis and Los Angeles.