HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2460
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The State of Hawaii employs numerous individuals whose responsibilities include law enforcement. Many state departments, including the department of public safety, department of transportation, department of land and natural resources, and department of the attorney general, employ individuals who maintain police powers and are often called upon to perform law enforcement duties and investigations. Some of these individuals include harbor police officers of the department of transportation, deputy sheriffs of the department of public safety, and division of conservation and resources' enforcement officers of the department of land and natural resources. However, no standardized law enforcement training for all state employees with law enforcement duties currently exists, thus requiring some state departments to hire personnel from other law enforcement agencies who have already received law enforcement training. This results in a limited pool of applicants from which personnel can be hired, thereby creating vacancies in these departments. The legislature finds that creating a state law enforcement training academy would help the recruitment of personnel for law enforcement positions within state government as well as standardize law enforcement training among various state departments and agencies.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a state law enforcement training academy within the department of public safety.

SECTION 2. Chapter 353C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new part to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Part . STATE Law Enforcement training academY

§353C- State law enforcement training academy; established. (a) The state law enforcement training academy is established within the department of public safety for the training of all candidates to become law enforcement officers of the State and the retraining of current law enforcement officers of the State. The state law enforcement training academy shall be maintained and operated by the department.

(b) The shall administer the state law enforcement training academy and shall establish standards for admission and courses of training. The shall adopt rules under chapter 91 relating to:

(1) The admission, education, physical standards, and personal character of the trainees; and

(2) Such other rules that are not inconsistent with law.

§353C- Location of training academy. The state law enforcement training academy shall be located in , unless the with the consent of the governor determines a more suitable alternate site.

§353C- Persons admissible to training academy; qualifications. All persons admitted to the state law enforcement training academy shall:

(1) Be a candidate to become a duly sworn law enforcement officer of the State as verified by the department to which the candidate has applied;

(2) Meet all the qualifications necessary to be appointed as a duly sworn law enforcement officer of the State for the particular position the individual is a candidate for;

(3) Be a citizen of the United States and a resident of the State; and

(4) Be certified by a physician as being physically and mentally sound on an examination made within one month prior to the acceptance of the person's candidacy.

§353C- Certificate of completion of training course. Upon the satisfactory completion of the prescribed course of training, the shall issue to each candidate a certification of the candidate's qualifications for appointment.

§353C- Expenses of academy; compensation for training. No tuition fee or any other charge shall be assessed against any department or agency for the training of any candidate and the expense of that training shall be borne by the department of public safety."

SECTION 3. The shall submit a report to the governor and legislature with its findings and recommendations relating to a plan for the state law enforcement training academy not later than December 31, 2017.

SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the establishment of the state law enforcement training academy.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of public safety for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.