ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session

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HB 2650: critical incident bureau; establishment; DPS

Sponsor: Representative Bowers, LD 25

Committee on Military Affairs & Public Safety

Overview

Establishes a critical incident bureau (Bureau) within the Department of Public Safety (DPS), and appropriates monies to establish and maintain the Bureau and support regional law enforcement task forces.

History

Statute authorizes DPS the following divisions:

1) Arizona highway patrol;

2) Narcotics enforcement and criminal investigation;

3) Scientific criminal analysis; and 

4) Training and education (A.R.S. § 41-1712).

Statute authorizes the DPS director to establish other divisions or to reorganize the department (A.R.S. § 41-1712).

The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST) must prescribe reasonable minimum qualifications for officers to become certified peace officers (PO).  The qualifications include United States citizenship, relate to physical, mental and moral fitness and must govern the recruitment, appointment and retention of all peace officers in Arizona (A.R.S. § 41-1822). 

Provisions

1. Establishes a Bureau within DPS effective July 1st, 2025. (Sec. 1)

2. Requires the superintendent of the Bureau to have a minimum of five years' experience in law enforcement administration. (Sec. 2)

3. Authorizes the director of DPS to adopt rules that govern the policies, procedures and administration of the Bureau. (Sec. 2)

4. States the Bureau must:

a) Use investigators who are certified by AZPOST and have completed investigative courses identified by the director and approved by AZPOST to conduct independent investigation of critical force incidents; and  

b) Investigate a criminal misconduct allegation against a PO employed by a law enforcement agency upon the written request by a county sheriff or chief of police. (Sec. 2)

5. Requires every law enforcement agency to utilize either the Bureau, a regional law enforcement task force or an outside law enforcement agency to investigate any critical force incident in Arizona. (Sec. 2)

6. Appropriates $24,400,000 from the state General Fund (GF) in FY 2023 to DPS to establish and maintain the Bureau. (Sec. 3)

7. Appropriates $600,000 from the state GF in FY 2023 to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission to distribute to regional law enforcement task forces. (Sec. 3)

8. States all appropriations are non-lapsing. (Sec. 3)

9. Defines critical force incident. (Sec. 2)

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13.                   HB 2650

14. Initials FK  Page 0 Military Affairs & Public Safety

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