SB120: Bill Text

LRB-0075/1

CMH:amn

2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE

2021 Senate BILL 120

February 18, 2021 - Introduced by Senators Wanggaard, L. Taylor, Darling, Cowles, Feyen, Jacque and Roys, cosponsored by Representatives Spiros, Armstrong, Bowen, Brandtjen, Moses and Rozar. Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

SB120,1,2 An Act to amend 66.0511 (2); and to create 66.0511 (4) of the statutes; relating to: law enforcement agency policies on the use of force.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law requires each law enforcement agency to have a publicly available policy regulating the use of force by law enforcement officers. This bill requires each such policy to provide the instances in which a use of force must be reported, how to report a use of force, and a requirement that officers who engage in or observe a reportable use of force must report it. This bill also prohibits disciplining a law enforcement officer for reporting a violation of an agency's policy or standard regarding the use of force.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB120,1 Section 1 . 66.0511 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB120,2,3 66.0511 (2) Use of force policy. Each person in charge of a law enforcement agency shall prepare in writing and make available for public scrutiny a policy or standard regulating the use of force by law enforcement officers in the performance of their duties. The law enforcement agency shall provide in its policy or standard the instances in which a use of force must be reported, how to report a use of force, and a requirement that officers who engage in or observe a reportable use of force report it.

SB120,2 Section 2 . 66.0511 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

SB120,2,13 66.0511 (4) Whistleblower protections. No law enforcement officer may be discharged, disciplined, demoted, or denied promotion, transfer, or reassignment, or otherwise discriminated against in regard to employment, or threatened with any such treatment, because the law enforcement officer reported, or is believed to have reported, any violation of a policy or standard under sub. (2); initiated, participated in, or testified in, or is believed to have initiated, participated in, or testified in, any action or proceeding regarding a violation of a policy or standard under sub. (2); or provided any information, or is believed to have provided any information, about a violation of a policy or standard under sub. (2).

SB120,2,14 (End)