Law enforcement officer training; require to include educational components on the Mississippi and U.S. Constitutions.

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To: Judiciary B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Ladner

HOUSE BILL NO. 1052

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE BOARD ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER 1
STANDARDS AND TRAINING TO PROMULGATE REGULATIONS TO REQUIRE ALL 2
ACCREDITED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS' TRAINING ACADEMIES IN THE 3
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND TRAINING COMPONENTS 4
ON THE MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION OF 1890 AND THE UNITED STATES 5
CONSTITUTION; TO AMEND SECTION 45-6-7, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 6
IN CONFORMITY THERETO; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 8
SECTION 1. The Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards 9
and Training shall promulgate regulations to require all 10
accredited law enforcement officers' training academies in the 11
State of Mississippi to provide education and training components 12
on the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 and the United States 13
Constitution to consist of not less than eight (8) hours in the 14
initial law enforcement officer certification program and not less 15
than two (2) hours in any required continuing education program 16
for law enforcement officers. The constitutional component will 17
train officers to exercise the responsibilities of their policing 18
authority within the parameters of the state and federal 19
constitutions and federal and state court decisions, which 20
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together define the roles and responsibilities of law enforcement 21
agencies and personnel in terms of everyday practices through 22
constitutional decision-making, which further provides a framework 23
to ensure fair, impartial and effective law enforcement consistent 24
with constitutional principles, democratic values and community 25
expectations, specifically regarding citizens rights under the 26
Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth and Fourteenth amendments to the 27
United States Constitution. 28
SECTION 2. Section 45-6-7, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 29
amended as follows: 30
45-6-7. In addition to the powers conferred upon the board 31
elsewhere in this chapter, the board shall have power to: 32
(a) Promulgate rules and regulations for the 33
administration of this chapter, including the authority to require 34
the submission of reports and information by law enforcement 35
agencies of the state and its political subdivisions. 36
(b) Establish minimum educational and training 37
standards for admission to employment or appointment as a law 38
enforcement officer or a part-time law enforcement officer: (i) 39
in a permanent position; and (ii) in a probationary status. The 40
minimum educational and training standards for any law enforcement 41
officer assigned to field or investigative duties shall include at 42
least two (2) hours of training related to handling complaints of 43
human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children 44
as defined in Section 43-21-105, communicating with such victims, 45
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and requiring the officer to contact the Department of Child 46
Protection Services when human trafficking or commercial sexual 47
exploitation is suspected. 48
(c) Certify persons as being qualified under the 49
provisions of this chapter to be law enforcement officers or 50
part-time law enforcement officers. 51
(d) Revoke certification for cause and in the manner 52
provided in this chapter. The board is authorized to conduct 53
investigations and subpoena documents regarding revocations. The 54
board shall maintain a current list of all persons certified under 55
this chapter who have been placed on probation, suspended, 56
subjected to revocation of certification, or any combination of 57
these. The board may establish a hearing panel for the purpose of 58
providing a hearing to any law enforcement officer for whom the 59
board believes there is a basis for reprimand, suspension, 60
cancellation of, or recalling the certification of a law 61
enforcement officer. The hearing panel shall provide its written 62
findings and recommendations to the board. 63
(e) Establish minimum curriculum requirements for basic 64
and advanced courses and programs for schools operated by or for 65
the state or any political subdivision thereof for the specific 66
purpose of training police and other law enforcement officers, 67
both full- and part-time, which shall include a minimum of two (2) 68
hours of training in a course or courses related to the 69
identification of and support for victims of human trafficking and 70
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commercial sexual exploitation and eight (8) hours of training on 71
the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 and the United States 72
Constitution. 73
(f) Consult and cooperate with counties, 74
municipalities, state agencies, other governmental agencies, and 75
with universities, colleges, community and junior colleges and 76
other institutions concerning the development of training schools, 77
programs or courses of instruction for personnel defined in this 78
chapter. 79
(g) Make recommendations concerning any matter within 80
its purview pursuant to this chapter. 81
(h) Make such inspection and evaluation as may be 82
necessary to determine if governmental units are complying with 83
the provisions of this chapter. 84
(i) Approve law enforcement officer training schools 85
for operation by or for the state or any political subdivision 86
thereof for the specific purpose of training personnel defined in 87
this chapter. 88
(j) Upon the request of agencies employing personnel 89
defined in this chapter, conduct surveys or aid municipalities and 90
counties to conduct surveys through qualified public or private 91
agencies and assist in the implementation of any recommendations 92
resulting from such surveys. 93
(k) Upon request of agencies within the purview of this 94
chapter, conduct general and specific management surveys and 95
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ST: Law enforcement officer training; require
to include educational components on the
Mississippi and U.S. Constitutions.
studies of the operations of the requesting agencies at no cost to 96
those agencies. The role of the board under this subsection shall 97
be that of management consultant. 98
(l) Adopt and amend regulations consistent with law, 99
for its internal management and control of board programs. 100
(m) Enter into contracts or do such things as may be 101
necessary and incidental to the administration of this chapter. 102
(n) Establish jointly with the State Board of Education 103
the minimum level of basic law enforcement training required of 104
persons employed by school districts as school security guards, or 105
school resource officers or in other positions that have the 106
powers of a peace officer. 107
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 108
and after July 1, 2026. 109