HB138: HB138 Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council; establish basic and in-service training courses on de-escalation techniques and methods

Georgia law currently directs the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council to include training on organized criminal activity and criminal street gangs in the basic and continuing education courses required of all peace officers. This bill adds de-escalation techniques and methods to that required curriculum, and specifies that the training must include scenario based exercises, meaning officers would practice de-escalation in simulated situations rather than only through lectures or written material. The change is made by revising paragraph (20) of O.C.G.A. § 35-8-7, which lists the council's powers and duties over officer training. If enacted, the requirement would take effect January 1, 2026, and any existing laws that conflict with the change would be repealed.

• Adds de-escalation techniques and methods as a required topic in the basic and in-service training curriculum for all Georgia peace officers.
• Requires that the de-escalation training include scenario based training, meaning practical, simulated exercises rather than only classroom instruction.
• Keeps the existing requirement that training also cover organized criminal activity and criminal street gangs, adding the new topic alongside it.
• Sets the effective date for the new training requirement as January 1, 2026.
• Repeals any existing state laws or provisions that conflict with the new requirement.

The bill affects all Georgia peace officers, who would receive the new required training, and the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, which sets and administers the curriculum for basic and in-service officer training courses statewide.

If enacted, every peace officer in Georgia, not just new recruits, would need scenario based instruction on de-escalation as part of required training. This could change how officers are prepared to handle tense encounters with the public, potentially affecting police interactions statewide.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 35-8-7(20) to add de-escalation techniques and methods, including scenario based training, to required basic and in-service peace officer training curricula.
• Section 2 sets the effective date of the Act as January 1, 2026.
• Section 3 repeals any laws or parts of laws that conflict with the new requirement.

1. 2025-04-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
2. 2025-03-04House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
3. 2025-01-29House Second Readers (House)
4. 2025-01-28House First Readers (House)
5. 2025-01-27House Hopper (House)

• Yasmin Neal (D, HD-079)Primary sponsor
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
• Bill Hitchens (R, HD-161)

• police training
• law enforcement
• de-escalation
• public safety
• POST Council