Bill > S1546

This bill establishes the Massachusetts Correctional Officer Accountability, Standards and Training (COAST) Commission to regulate the certification, training, and conduct of correctional officers in the state. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Creating the COAST Commission, a civilian oversight body, to set standards for correctional officer certification, approve training curriculums, investigate misconduct, and potentially suspend or revoke certifications. 2. Mandating minimum certification standards for correctional officers, including background checks, psychological evaluations, and training requirements. 3. Requiring correctional agencies to report all complaints and disciplinary actions against officers to the COAST Commission, which will maintain a database to identify patterns of problematic conduct. 4. Empowering the COAST Commission to suspend or revoke an officer's certification for serious misconduct, such as excessive use of force, bias, or untruthfulness. 5. Prohibiting the use of chokeholds and requiring officers to attempt de-escalation tactics before using physical force. 6. Obligating officers to intervene and report when they observe another officer using unreasonable force. 7. Mandating annual reporting by the COAST Commission on officer-involved injuries/deaths, disciplinary actions, and other data to promote transparency and accountability. The overall purpose of the bill is to establish robust oversight and standards for correctional officers in Massachusetts to prevent misconduct and strengthen public trust in the criminal justice system.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S1546