Skip To Content
December 14, 2022

Trone-Led Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act Passed by the House, Heads to President Biden’s Desk to be Signed Into Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 14, 2022

Contact: Sloane Gallagher, Sloane.Gallagher@mail.house.gov

Trone-Led Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act Passed by the House, Heads to President Biden’s Desk to be Signed Into Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Trone’s (D-MD) bipartisan Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act passed the U.S. House of Representatives and will be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. The legislation will better equip law enforcement officers to respond to mental and behavioral health crises and connect folks with the right resources and services to address their needs.

Congressman Trone (MD-06) co-led the bill alongside Representatives Karen Bass (D-CA), Darrell Issa (R-CA), and Steve Chabot (R-OH). In the Senate, the Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act was led by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and passed the chamber unanimously.

The Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act will:

  • Authorize $70 million in annual grant funding for training, including scenario-based exercises and evaluative assessments;
  • Require the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services to develop curricula in training topics, or identifying existing curricula, in consultation with law enforcement, mental health organizations, family advocacy organizations, and civil liberties groups, among other stakeholders;
  • Require the National Institute of Justice and the Government Accountability Office to evaluate the implementation of the program and the effect of the training, to ensure that the curricula have a tangible impact on law enforcement encounters with people in crisis, and identify possible changes that would further improve outcomes.

“As our nation faces worsening mental health and addiction crises, it’s crucial that public safety officers are equipped with the proper tools to safely and effectively respond to folks in crisis. The passage of the Law Enforcement De-Escalation Training Act is a great first step toward ensuring that those in crisis can get the support they need,” said Congressman David Trone, co-chair of the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force. “Mental illness and addiction can’t be solved in prison, plain and simple. I’ll continue fighting to support our dedicated law enforcement officers to ensure we get care to those who need it most.”

“By giving law enforcement the tools they need to help those experiencing mental health emergencies and other crises, we can help make communities safer by building a stronger bridge between the criminal justice system and mental health care,” said Senator Cornyn. “I’m grateful to my colleagues in the House for passing this critical legislation, and I urge the President to promptly sign this bill into law.”

You can find the full text of the bill here.

In the House, the bill is co-sponsored by Representatives Cole (R-OK), Lieu (D-CA), Cicilline (D-RI), Salazar (R-FL), Jackson Lee (D-TX), Miller (R-WV), Kuster (D-NH), Calvert (R-CA), Blunt, Rochester (D-DE), Lamborn (R-CO), Davis (D-IL), Graves (R-LA), Scott (D-GA), Kilmer (D-WA), Crow (D-CO), Case (D-HI), Gonzales (R-TX), and Scanlon (D-PA).

The bill is endorsed by Fraternal Order of Police, Major County Sheriffs of America, Major Cities Chiefs Association, National Criminal Justice Association, National Association of Police Organizations, National Sheriffs’ Association, Sergeants Benevolent Association NYPD, National Association of Counties, Right on Crime, Faith and Freedom, Prison Fellowship, American Psychological Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, American Counseling Association, National Register of Health Service Psychologists, American Association of Suicidology, College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists, American Association on Health and Disability, Lakeshore Foundation, Anxiety and Depression Association of America, American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors, National Association for Rural Mental Health, National Federation of Families, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies, the Niskanen Center, Peace Officers Research Association of California, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, and National Latino Evangelical Coalition.

Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland, which includes all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties. Trone serves on the Appropriations, Veterans’ Affairs, and Joint Economic Committees. In Congress, Trone is fighting to make progress on issues that matter to Marylanders, including the mental health and addiction crises, criminal justice reform, and funding for medical research.

Follow Congressman Trone at @RepDavidTrone for updates on TwitterFacebook, and Instagram.

###