LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

SB0050

SENATE BILL 50

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Antonio Maestas
and
Crystal Brantley
and
Pamelya Herndon

and
Nicole Chavez

AN ACT

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT; REMOVING CERTAIN IN-SERVICE LAW
ENFORCEMENT TRAINING REQUIREMENTS; REMOVING CERTAIN IN-SERVICE
PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATOR TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

SECTION 1.
Section 29-7-4.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2002,
Chapter 34, Section 3 and Laws 2002, Chapter 35, Section 3, as
amended) is amended to read:

"29-7-4.1. DOMESTIC ABUSE INCIDENT TRAINING.--Domestic
abuse incident training that includes information on
strangulation shall be included in the curriculum of each basic
law enforcement training class. [
Domestic abuse incident
training shall be included as a component of in-service
training each year for certified police officers.
]"

SECTION 2.
Section 29-7-4.2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2011,
Chapter 49, Section 1) is amended to read:

"29-7-4.2. CHILD ABUSE INCIDENT TRAINING.--Child abuse
incident training shall be included in the curriculum of each
basic law enforcement training class. [
Child abuse incident
training shall be included as a component of in-service
training each year for certified police officers.
]"

SECTION 3.
Section 29-7-4.4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2022,
Chapter 56, Section 6) is amended to read:

"29-7-4.4. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TRAINING.--The
curriculum of each basic law enforcement training class [
and
in-service training each year
] for certified police officers
shall include:

A. crisis management and intervention;

B. dealing with individuals who are experiencing
mental health issues;

C. methods of de-escalation;

D. peer-to-peer intervention;

E. stress management;

F. racial sensitivity;

G. reality-based situational training; and

H. use of force training that includes the
elimination of vascular neck restraints."

SECTION 4.
Section 29-7-7.3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2007,
Chapter 89, Section 1) is amended to read:

"29-7-7.3. ENSURING CHILD SAFETY UPON ARREST--TRAINING.--Training for ensuring child safety upon the arrest of a parent
or guardian

shall be included in the curriculum of each basic
law enforcement training class [
and as a component of in-service training each year for certified police officers
]."

SECTION 5.
Section 29-7-7.4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2010,
Chapter 33, Section 1) is amended to read:

"29-7-7.4. MISSING PERSON AND AMBER ALERT TRAINING.--A
minimum of four hours of combined missing person and AMBER
alert training shall be included in the curriculum of each
basic law enforcement training class. [
Missing person and
AMBER alert training shall be included as a component of in-service training each year for certified police officers.
]"

SECTION 6.
Section 29-7-7.5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2011,
Chapter 180, Section 1) is amended to read:

"29-7-7.5. INTERACTION WITH PERSONS WITH MENTAL
IMPAIRMENTS--TRAINING.--

A. A minimum of forty hours of crisis management,
including crisis intervention, confrontation de-escalation
practicum and proper interaction with persons with mental
impairments training, shall be included in the curriculum of
each basic law enforcement training class.

[
B. A minimum of two hours of crisis management,
including crisis intervention, confrontation de-escalation
practicum and proper interaction with persons with mental
impairments training, shall be included as a component of in-service law enforcement training pursuant to Section

29-7-7.1 NMSA 1978.

C.
]
B.
A pre-recorded course on crisis management,
including crisis intervention, confrontation de-escalation
practicum and proper interaction with persons with mental
impairments training, shall not satisfy the requirements of the
basic law enforcement training class required pursuant to
Subsection A of this section.

[
D.
]
C.
As used in this section, "mental
impairment" includes a mental illness, developmental
disability, posttraumatic stress disorder, dual diagnosis,
autism, youth in crisis and traumatic brain injury."

SECTION 7.
Section 29-7-7.7 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2017,
Chapter 35, Section 1) is amended to read:

"29-7-7.7. TOURNIQUET AND TRAUMA KIT TRAINING AND
DISTRIBUTION.--

A. Tourniquet and trauma kit training shall be
included in the curriculum of each basic law enforcement
training class [
and as a component of in-service law
enforcement training each year for certified police officers
].
The academy, in coordination with certified regional law
enforcement training facilities, shall provide a tourniquet and
trauma kit to each cadet who graduates from the academy or from
a certified regional law enforcement training facility and to
each previously certified police officer who attends a
certification-by-waiver course.

B. The academy shall provide hands-on tourniquet
and trauma kit training to all officers using tourniquet and
trauma kit equipment designed for training purposes. The
training shall be designed in a manner that will safely
replicate field conditions without the risk of injury in order
for officers to develop the necessary skills to use tourniquets
and trauma kits. In order to supplement the hands-on training,
the academy may produce a training video on the proper use of
tourniquets and trauma kits for use in the academy and
certified regional law enforcement training facilities.

C. The academy, in coordination with certified
regional law enforcement training facilities, shall distribute
a tourniquet and trauma kit to each police officer who has been
certified pursuant to the Law Enforcement Training Act."

SECTION 8.
Section 29-7C-4.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2022,
Chapter 56, Section 19, as amended) is amended to read:

"29-7C-4.1. PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATOR TRAINING.--The
curriculum of each basic telecommunicator training class [
and
in-service training each year for telecommunicators
] shall
include:

A. crisis management and intervention;

B. dealing with individuals who are experiencing
mental health issues;

C. methods of de-escalation;

D. peer-to-peer intervention;

E. stress management;

F. racial sensitivity;

G. reality-based situational training; and

H. high-quality telecommunicator cardiopulmonary
resuscitation using the most current nationally recognized
emergency cardiovascular care guidelines. Training on high-quality telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation shall
include instruction on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest protocols
and compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation."

SECTION 9.
Section 29-7C-7 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
Chapter 320, Section 9, as amended) is amended to read:

"29-7C-7. IN-SERVICE TELECOMMUNICATOR TRAINING.--

A. In-service telecommunicator training consists of
at least twenty hours of [
board-approved
]
council-approved

advanced training, including [
one hour of
] crisis management,
[
including
] crisis intervention, confrontation de-escalation
practicum and proper interaction with persons with mental
impairments training, for each certified telecommunicator
during each two-year period. The first training course shall
commence no later than twelve months after graduation from a
[
board-approved
]
council-approved
basic telecommunicator
training program.

B. A certified telecommunicator shall provide proof
of completion of in-service training requirements to the
director no later than March 1 of the year subsequent to the
year in which the requirements are met. The director shall
provide annual notice to all certified telecommunicators
regarding in-service training requirements. Failure to
complete in-service training requirements may be grounds for
suspension of a telecommunicator's certification at the board's
discretion as provided in Section 29-7-4.3 NMSA 1978. A
telecommunicator may be reinstated by the board when the
telecommunicator presents to the board evidence the
telecommunicator has satisfied the in-service training
requirements.

C. As used in this section, "mental impairment"
includes a mental illness, developmental disability,
posttraumatic stress disorder, dual diagnosis, autism, youth in
crisis and traumatic brain injury."

SECTION 10.
Section 29-11-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1978,
Chapter 27, Section 5, as amended) is amended to read:

"29-11-5. SEXUAL CRIMES PROSECUTION AND TREATMENT
PROGRAM.--

A. The administrator shall develop, with the
cooperation of the [
criminal justice
]
corrections
department,
the New Mexico state police, the New Mexico law enforcement
academy, other authorized law enforcement agencies and existing
community-based victim treatment programs, a statewide
comprehensive plan to train law enforcement officers and
criminal justice and medical personnel in the ability to deal
with sexual crimes; to develop strategies for prevention of
such crimes; to provide assistance in the assembly of evidence
for the facilitation of prosecution of such crimes; and to
provide medical and psychological treatment to victims of such
crimes. This plan shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) education and training of law enforcement
officers and criminal justice and medical personnel;

(2) collection, processing and analysis of
evidence [
which
]
that
facilitates prosecution of suspects of
sexual crimes; and

(3) medical and psychological treatment of
victims of such crimes.

B. The comprehensive plan shall be implemented
throughout the state, and the administrator may contract with
appropriate persons, entities, agencies or community-based
programs to provide the services to be rendered pursuant to
Subsection A of this section and may pay a reasonable fee for
[
such
]
the
services.

C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to
require criminal prosecution of a suspect of a sexual crime by
the victim to whom services are rendered pursuant to the
provisions of the Sexual Crimes Prosecution and Treatment Act.

D. Training for law enforcement officers in the
proper treatment of victims of sexual crimes and collection of
evidence and coordination among agencies shall be incorporated
in the regular training program for recruits by the New Mexico
state police
and
the basic course taught by the New Mexico law
enforcement academy or by other authorized law enforcement
agencies. [
Already commissioned officers and sex-crime
investigators shall receive advanced training through in-service programs.
]"

SECTION 11.
Section 29-20-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
Chapter 260, Section 3) is amended to read:

"29-20-3. POLICE TRAINING.--

A. No later than December 31, 2004, the New Mexico
law enforcement [
academy board
]
standards and training council

shall develop and incorporate into the basic law enforcement
training required pursuant to the Law Enforcement Training Act
a course of instruction of at least sixteen hours concerning
the safe initiation and conduct of high speed pursuits.

B. The course of instruction shall emphasize the
importance of protecting the public at all times and the need
to balance the known offense and risk posed by a fleeing
suspect against the danger to law enforcement officers and
other people by initiating a high speed pursuit.

C. The course of instruction shall include adequate
consideration of each of the following subjects:

(1) when to initiate a high speed pursuit;

(2) when to terminate a high speed pursuit;

(3) evaluating risks due to conditions of the
vehicle, driver, roadway, weather and traffic during a high
speed pursuit;

(4) evaluating dangers to uninvolved motorists
and bystanders during a high speed pursuit;

(5) the number of law enforcement units
permitted to participate in the high speed pursuit;

(6) the responsibilities of primary, secondary
and supervisory law enforcement units during a high speed
pursuit;

(7) proper communication and coordination
procedures when a high speed pursuit enters another law
enforcement agency's jurisdiction, including a tribal
jurisdiction;

(8) driving tactics during a high speed
pursuit;

(9) communications during a high speed
pursuit;

(10) capture of suspects following a high
speed pursuit;

(11) supervisory responsibilities during a
high speed pursuit;

(12) use of blocking, ramming, boxing and
roadblocks as high speed pursuit tactics;

(13) use of alternative methods and
technologies for apprehending suspects during a high speed
pursuit; and

(14) preparing a report and evaluation and
analysis of a high speed pursuit after it has concluded.

D. The New Mexico law enforcement [
academy board
]

standards and training council
shall develop the program of
instruction, learning and performance objectives and standards
for training in conjunction with appropriate groups and
individuals that have an interest in and expertise regarding
high speed pursuits, including law enforcement agencies, law
enforcement academy instructors, experts on the subject and
members of the public.

[
E. In-service law enforcement training, as
required pursuant to Section 29-7-7.1 NMSA 1978, shall include
at least four hours of instruction that conform with the
requirements set forth in Subsection C of this section.

F.
]
E.
Each certified regional law enforcement
training facility shall incorporate into its basic law
enforcement training [
and in-service law enforcement training
]
a course of training in the safe initiation and conduct of high
speed pursuits that is comparable to or exceeds the standards
of the course of instruction developed by the New Mexico law
enforcement [
academy board
]
standards and training council
."

SECTION 12.
Section 31-18B-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2003,
Chapter 384, Section 5) is amended to read:

"31-18B-5. HATE CRIMES--LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING.--

A. No later than December 31, 2003, the New Mexico
law enforcement [
academy board
]
standards and training council

shall develop and incorporate into the basic law enforcement
training required, pursuant to the Law Enforcement Training
Act, a course of instruction at least two hours in length
concerning the detection, investigation and reporting of a
crime motivated by hate.

B. The New Mexico law enforcement [
academy board
]

standards and training council
shall develop a course of
instruction, learning and performance objectives and training
standards, in conjunction with appropriate groups and
individuals that have an interest in and expertise regarding
crimes motivated by hate. The groups and individuals shall
include law enforcement agencies, law enforcement academy
instructors, experts on crimes motivated by hate and members of
the public.

[
C. In-service law enforcement training, as
required pursuant to Section 29-7-7.1 NMSA 1978, shall include
at least two hours of instruction that conform with the
requirements set forth in Subsection B of this section.

D.
]
C.
Each certified regional law enforcement
training facility shall incorporate into its basic law
enforcement training [
and in-service law enforcement training
]
a course of training described in Subsection B of this section
that is comparable to or exceeds the standards of the course of
instruction developed by the New Mexico law enforcement
[
academy board
]
standards and training council
."

SECTION 13.
EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the
provisions of this act is January 1, 2028.

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