HB1680: requiring law enforcement and corrections officers to complete training in appropriate techniques for dealing with persons with mental health conditions.

HB 1680-FN – AS INTRODUCED

2006 SESSION

06-2081

09/01

HOUSE BILL 1680-FN

AN ACT requiring law enforcement and corrections officers to complete training in appropriate techniques for dealing with persons with mental health conditions.

SPONSORS: Rep. Cady, Rock 1; Rep. Bicknell, Rock 1; Rep. Souza, Hills 11; Rep. Dumaine, Rock 3

COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety

ANALYSIS

This bill requires police officers, corrections officers, and probation-parole officers to complete a minimum of one week of training in appropriate techniques for dealing with persons with mental health conditions.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

06-2081

09/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Six

AN ACT requiring law enforcement and corrections officers to complete training in appropriate techniques for dealing with persons with mental health conditions.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; Police Standards and Training Council; Training Required. Amend RSA 188-F by inserting after section 28 the following new section:

188-F:28-a Training for Dealing With Persons With Mental Health Conditions. Each police officer, corrections officer, and probation-parole officer certified by the police standards and training council shall complete a one-week training program in dealing with persons with mental health conditions. The training program shall be developed or approved by the director of the police standards and training council by rules adopted under RSA 541-A.

2 Applicability. Each police officer, corrections officer, and probation-parole officer who is certified by the police standards and training council on the effective date of this act shall complete the training program under RSA 188-F:28-a within 2 years of the effective date of this act.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

06-2081

12/12/05

HB 1680-FN - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT requiring law enforcement and corrections officers to complete training in appropriate techniques for dealing with persons with mental health conditions.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Police Standards and Training Council, Department of Corrections, New Hampshire Association of Counties and New Hampshire Municipal Association stated this bill will increase state revenue and state, county, and local expenditures by indeterminable amounts in FY 2006 and each year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on county or local revenue.

METHODOLOGY:

The Police Standards and Training Council indicated this bill would impact all of the estimated 5,000 persons with law enforcement authority in New Hampshire. The Council assumed the officers would attend the training on overtime as coverage would have to be maintained. Based on the average salary from the most recent salary survey, the Council determined officers would be paid an average hourly rate of $32.81 during training. The Council anticipates that 8 hours of the additional training could be used to satisfy the 8 hours of in-service training required of each officer per year so the additional impact would be for 32 additional hours of instruction.

The Council estimated the additional cost to train current officers for the first two years (FY 2006 and FY 2007) is as follows:

Training Cost per Officer = hourly rate x hours training ($32.81 x 40) $ 1,312.40

Total Training Cost = cost per Officer x 5,000 Officers 6,562,000

One half provided in each of the first two years 3,281,000

Discounted for 8 hours that can be considered in lieu of 8 hours

of annual in-service training (20% less cost) 2,624,800

State Cost: $ 524,960

County Cost $ 209,984

Local Cost $1,889,856

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06-2081

12/12/05

In the following years new academy graduates would be trained as follows:

Instructional cost per hour $15.61

Training Hours x 40

Graduates per year x 320

PSTC Training Costs $199,808

Officers base salary $15.50 per hour x 1.5 (time and overtime) = $23.25

Hours of Training x 40

Annual number of Graduates x 320

Total Pay while in training $297,600

State Cost (PSTC Training + 20% of Graduates) $259,328

County Cost (10% of Graduates) $ 29,760

Local Cost (70% of Graduates) $208,320

The Department of Corrections stated it currently has 720 employees that would require additional training under this bill. The Department estimated the one-week training would cost $50 per day per employee. Based on 720 employees, the cost of the additional training would be $180,000. The Department assumed half of the training would be completed in FY 2006 and half in FY 2007. The Department further assumes there would be additional costs resulting from employment turnover and the need to train new employees.

The New Hampshire Association of Counties indicated 600 county correctional officers would receive the training at a cost of $150 each, for a total of $90,000. The Association assumed an average hourly cost of $25 per Correctional Officer and that the officer in training will be paid the hourly rate for 40 hours during the training. Therefore, the additional labor cost would be ($25 per hour x 40 hours x 600 officers = $600,000). The Association further assumes half of the officers will be trained in FY 2006 and half in FY 2007.

The New Hampshire Municipal Association assumed municipalities would pay the cost for their police officers to complete the required training courses. Based on information from the New Hampshire Police Standards and Training Council, the Association indicates there are

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12/12/05

approximately 4,300 municipal police officers. The Association is not able to determine the cost per officer, and therefore, cannot estimate the cost to municipalities.

The Department of Safety indicated this bill would not result in any additional cost to the Department since it does not pay costs associated with training.