HB 138: Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council; establish basic and in-service training courses on de-escalation techniques and methods

Under current Georgia law, the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) is required to include training on organized criminal activity and criminal street gangs in the basic and in-service courses every peace officer must take. This bill adds a new required topic to that same list: de-escalation techniques and methods, including scenario based training, which puts officers through simulated real-world situations rather than just classroom instruction. The bill makes this change by rewriting paragraph (20) of the Georgia code section that lists POST's powers and duties (O.C.G.A. § 35-8-7). It does not change any other part of officer training requirements. If enacted, the change would take effect on January 1, 2026.

• Adds de-escalation techniques and methods to the list of required topics in basic and in-service training for all Georgia peace officers.
• Requires that the de-escalation training include scenario based training, meaning practical simulated exercises rather than only lectures.
• Leaves the existing requirements to train officers on organized criminal activity and criminal street gangs in place.
• Sets the effective date of the change as January 1, 2026.

This bill affects the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, which designs officer training curricula, and every peace officer in Georgia who must complete basic and in-service training, since the added coursework becomes part of their required training.

If enacted, every Georgia peace officer would go through mandatory de-escalation training with hands-on scenario exercises, which could shape how officers respond to tense encounters with the public in everyday policing situations across the state.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 35-8-7(20) to add de-escalation techniques and methods, including scenario based training, to POST's required basic and in-service training curriculum.
• Section 1 keeps the existing requirement to train on organized criminal activity and criminal street gangs.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as January 1, 2026.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-04-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)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-79)Primary sponsor
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
• Bill Hitchens (R, HD-161)

• police training
• de-escalation
• law enforcement policy
• public safety