On December 27, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act of 2022, which was cosponsored by Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) and former Representative Karen Bass (D-California). The law received an overwhelming bipartisan majority vote (264-162) in the U.S. House of Representatives to secure the final passage on December 14. APA Services’ advocacy efforts on this legislation represents an important step forward in our efforts to fulfill the mission of and implement the recommendations called for in APA's Resolution on Psychology’s Role in Addressing the Impact of, and Change Required With, Police Use of Excessive Force Against People of Color and Other Marginalized Communities in the United States.
Over the past two years, APA Services and experts in APA's membership played a key role in advising lawmakers to ensure this legislation is based in psychological science and practical on-the-ground expertise. The bill had a large and politically diverse coalition of supporters, including the Fraternal Order of Police, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and the American Conservative Union, among others.
The legislation will direct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to develop scenario-based training curricula (or identify existing curricula) that includes alternatives to the use of force, de-escalation tactics, safer responses to individuals experiencing a mental or behavioral health or suicidal crisis, and more. Moreover, the legislation directs the DOJ to provide grants to states for costs associated with providing the training to law enforcement officers or mental health professionals. The passage of this bill is a major win for psychology's efforts to achieve equity in policing and prevent tragic outcomes during police-community interactions.
For more information, contact Ben Vonachen.
