State: West Virginia

Requests the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study the West Virginia State Police’s increased duties and responsibilities and determine the number of full time equivalent positions that are needed to meet the statutory mission of statewide enforcement of criminal and traffic laws.

A BILL to amend and reenact Section 8-14-15 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to revising the requirement that municipal police civil service commissions certify a list of up to three individuals for every position vacancy in a municipal police department not filled by promotion, reinstatement or reduction.

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance conduct a study of the increased duties and responsibilities of the West Virginia State Police, and determine the number of full-time equivalent positions that are needed to meet the statutory mission of statewide enforcement of criminal and traffic laws with emphasis on providing basic enforcement and citizen protection from criminal depredation throughout the state’s public streets, roads and highways.

The purpose of this bill is to clarify the duties of the law-enforcement training and certification subcommittee, provide for a minimum of 800 classroom hours for a law-enforcement academy, clarify that the required classroom hours shall be accumulated on the basis of a full-time curricula, authorize the law-enforcement training and certification subcommittee to deny an application for the establishment of a new law-enforcement academy if it is determined that no need exists, require that a person seeking certification complete the approved law-enforcement training academy within 18 consecutive months of the commencement of employment as a law-enforcement officer, authorize extensions of such requirement, require graduates of state law-enforcement academies successfully complete an entry level law-enforcement examination promulgated by the law-enforcement training and certification subcommittee prior to certification, establish time frames for completion of training requirements, and make technical corrections.

The purpose of this bill is to create a Law-Enforcement Transparency Board authorized to receive complaints made against law-enforcement personnel and investigate and participate in the resolution of complaints filed by members of the public. The bill provides that these complaints shall be investigated and discipline, if any, shall be recommended to the appropriate oversight authority.

relating to transferring child welfare enforcement responsibilities to the West Virginia State Police,transferring employees, funds, and property of the Department of Health and Human Resources to the West Virginia State Police,providing that transferred employees remain in the Civil Service System, continue to participate in Public Employees Retirement System Insurance, and continue to be covered by the Public Employees Insurance Act,and requiring rulemaking.