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Public Act 552 of 2018: Law Enforcement Officer Active Violence Training - Update

On March 28, 2019, Public Act 552 of 2018 (2018PA552, MCL28.609e) became effective amending Public Act 203 of 1965 (MCOLES Act).  The act added section 609e to the MCOLES Act mandating active violence training for all licensed law enforcement officers in Michigan. 

Section 9e specifies the following:

  • “(1) Beginning January 1, 2020, an individual seeking to become licensed under section 9, 9b, 9c, or 9d shall complete active violence response training that emphasizes coordinated tactical response to rapidly developing incidents in which intentional physical injury or death to a specific population occurs through the use of conventional or unconventional weapons and tactics. 
  • (2) The commission shall promulgate rules establishing the minimum standards for the active violence response training required under subsection (1). 
  • (3) Beginning January 1, 2020, an individual who is licensed under section 9, 9b, 9c, or 9d shall complete the active violence response training described under subsection (1).” 

Funding was not initially appropriated to enable the completion of its requirements.  However, using its existing staff, the Commission updated the mandated basic police training academy curriculum and standards to meet the requirements of Sec. 9e(1), in May of 2019.  This means each academy graduate who completed an MCOLES Basic Police Training Academy session that began after May 3, 2019, meets the requirements of section 9e and is eligible for MCOLES licensure. 

Late in FY 2019, the legislature appropriated partial funding to implement Sec. 9e(3). Unfortunately, soon thereafter the pandemic struck.  As part of the State’s response, funding for this and many other projects was frozen. Once these restrictions were removed, the Commission began the process of implementing the Sections (2) and (3).  

The Commission is developing a process to evaluate and retroactively recognize in-service training, that may comply in whole or in part with Section 9e and credit the licensed officers who have received this training since January 1, 2020, as mandated by statute. 

The Commission is working diligently to create a fair and efficient training delivery process that can be implemented statewide to serve all of law enforcement agencies and officers. There is nothing any law enforcement agency is required to do at this time.  The Commission will keep everyone updated as the project moves forward.

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