State: South Carolina

Requires state and local law enforcement agencies to adopt and maintain a written policy regarding the use of taser devices or stun guns that meets or exceeds the model policy to be developed by the state Law Enforcement Training Council,requires law enforcement officers to document each use of a taser device or stun gun,requires each state and local law enforcement agency to submit an annual report to the director of the state Criminal Justice Academy.

Enacts the Ethical Policing Transparency and Accountability Act,defines certain terms,provides for a framework to institutionalize high standards for policing practices and conduct by the creation of citizen review boards and their duties,provides for the use of standard forms to record law enforcement officer complaints,provides a law enforcement agency shall record all instances of disciplinary action against a law enforcement officer.

Provides the Law Enforcement Training Council shall operate and maintain the central registry of police misconduct,provides for the information that must be maintained on the registry,provides for the circumstances under which information must be included on the registry,provides that the state’s law enforcement agencies shall have access to the information on the registry,provides which information is confidential and which information is subject to public disclosure.

Enacts the Police and Communities Together (PACT) Act,relates to the certification requirement for law enforcement officers,requires law enforcement officers complete an approved field training program,provides that a law enforcement officer who is not certified shall perform only his duties as a law enforcement officer under certain circumstances and while accompanied by a certified law enforcement officer.

Prohibits the deletion or destruction of data from a body worn camera with the intent to alter or influence a criminal action, criminal investigation, internal police investigation, civil action, or potential civil action if notice is provided by the adverse party, or if litigation is reasonably anticipated,provides penalties,provides exemptions,relates to policies and procedures for the use of body worn cameras.

Relates to law enforcement and public safety,prohibits the deletion or destruction of data from a body worn camera with the intent to alter or influence a criminal action, criminal investigation, internal police investigation, civil action, or potential civil action if notice is provided by the adverse party, or if litigation is reasonably anticipated,provides penalties,provides exemptions,relates to policies and procedures for the use of body worn cameras.

Relates to the law enforcement training council and criminal justice academy,provides for a model training program for newly appointed chiefs of police, revisions to the program, and the time period to complete the program,provides that the training program does not apply to duly elected sheriffs.

Creates a police brutality citizens review committee in every county to investigate instances of alleged police brutality and publish a report,designates the evidence available for the committee’s review,provides for the composition of the committee,provides for the filling of vacancies on the committee.

Relates to evidence of good character concerning certification as a law enforcement officer,provides that favorable results resulting from a review of the central registry of police misconduct are required to make a determination of good character,relates to the law enforcement training council and criminal justice academy,provides that the law enforcement training council shall operate and maintain the central registry of police misconduct.

Prohibits the destruction or deletion of data from a body-worn camera with the intent to alter or influence a criminal action, criminal investigation, internal police investigation, civil action, or potential civil action if notice is provided by the adverse party, or if litigation is reasonably anticipated,provides penalties,provides exemptions,relates to policies and procedures for the use of body-worn cameras,provides for the circumstances in which the policies and procedures.

Relates to extensions for police misconduct investigations,provides that parties may agree to an extension,provides that the director of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division may grant an extension,provides that an extension must be for a specified time period,relates to reporting findings of allegations of excessive force to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy.