Sec. 7-282c. Filing and dissemination of reports re missing children, missing
youths and certain missing persons. Any municipal police department which receives
a report of a missing child or missing youth under eighteen years of age or a missing
person who is eligible for assistance under subsection (a) of section 29-1f shall immediately accept such report for filing and inform all on-duty police officers of the existence
of the missing child, missing youth or missing person report and communicate the report
to other appropriate law enforcement agencies.
(P.A. 85-278; P.A. 09-109, S. 1; P.A. 11-102, S. 4; 11-157, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 09-109 added provisions re reports of missing persons eligible for assistance under Sec. 29-1f(a), effective
July 1, 2009; P.A. 11-102 changed age of missing child from under 15 years to under 18 years of age; P.A. 11-157 added
provisions re reports of missing youth under 18 years of age.
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Sec. 7-294b. Members of council. Holding of other office. (a) There shall be a
Police Officer Standards and Training Council which shall be within the Department
of Emergency Services and Public Protection and which shall consist of the following
members appointed by the Governor: (1) A chief administrative officer of a town or
city in Connecticut; (2) the chief elected official or chief executive officer of a town or
city in Connecticut with a population under twelve thousand which does not have an
organized police department; (3) a member of the faculty of The University of Connecticut; (4) eight members of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association who are holding
office or employed as chief of police or the highest ranking professional police officer
of an organized police department of a municipality within the state; (5) the Chief State's
Attorney; (6) a sworn municipal police officer whose rank is sergeant or lower; and (7)
five public members. The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection
and the Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent-in-charge in Connecticut or their
designees shall be voting ex-officio members of the council. Any nonpublic member
of the council shall immediately, upon the termination of such member's holding the
office or employment that qualified such member for appointment, cease to be a member
of the council. A member appointed to fill a vacancy shall be appointed for the unexpired
term of the member whom such member is to succeed in the same manner as the original
appointment. The Governor shall appoint a chairperson and the council shall appoint a
vice-chairperson and a secretary from among the members. The members of the council
shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to actual expenses involved in
the performance of their duties.
(b) Membership on the council shall not constitute holding a public office. No member of the council shall be disqualified from holding any public office or employment
by reason of his appointment to or membership on the council nor shall any member
forfeit any such office or employment by reason of his appointment to the council,
notwithstanding the provisions of any general statute, special act or local law, ordinance
or charter.
(February, 1965, P.A. 575, S. 2, 4; P.A. 77-290; 77-614, S. 487, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 9, 136; P.A. 79-560, S. 34, 39;
P.A. 82-357, S. 2, 8; P.A. 87-477, S. 3; P.A. 89-376, S. 2; P.A. 93-43; P.A. 95-108, S. 3; P.A. 97-5; P.A. 07-17, S. 1; P.A.
11-51, S. 146; 11-61, S. 96.)
History: P.A. 77-290 added to provision concerning appointment the phrase calling for service until successors are
appointed in Subsec. (a); P.A. 77-614 placed council within the department of public safety for administrative purposes,
effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-303 substituted commissioner of public safety for commissioner of state police to fulfill
requirements of P.A. 77-614, S. 486; P.A. 79-560 added requirement that there be five public members; P.A. 82-357 put
the council within the division of state police for administrative purposes only and made provisions for the appointment
of a chairperson, vice-chairperson and secretary; P.A. 87-477 added chief state's attorney as member of council; P.A. 89-376 amended Subsec. (a) to permit public safety commissioner and FBI special agent-in-charge to have designees and to
be voting ex-officio members of council; P.A. 93-43 added Subsec. (a)(3) extending membership to chief elected official
or chief executive officer of a town with a population under 12,000 which does not have an organized police department;
P.A. 95-108 amended Subsec. (a) to rename Municipal Police Training Council as Police Officer Standards and Training
Council; P.A. 97-5 added new Subsec. (a)(6) extending membership on council to a member of the Connecticut Coalition
of Police and Corrections Officers, and renumbered the remaining Subdiv. Accordingly; P.A. 07-17 amended Subsec.
(a)(6) to change membership from a member of the Connecticut Coalition of Police and Corrections Officers to a sworn
municipal police officer, effective May 7, 2007; P.A. 11-51 amended Subsec. (a) to replace language placing council
within Department of Public Safety for administrative purposes with language placing council within Department of
Emergency Services and Public Protection and to make technical changes, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-61 amended
Subsec. (a) by deleting reference to Division of State Police, effective July 1, 2011.
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Sec. 7-294d. Powers of council. Certification of police officers, police training
schools and law enforcement instructors. Refusal to renew, cancellation or revocation of certification. Automatic certification. Exemptions. (a) The Police Officer
Standards and Training Council shall have the following powers:
(1) To develop and periodically update and revise a comprehensive municipal police training plan;
(2) To approve, or revoke the approval of, any police training school and to issue
certification to such schools and to revoke such certification;
(3) To set the minimum courses of study and attendance required and the equipment
and facilities to be required of approved police training schools;
(4) To set the minimum qualifications for law enforcement instructors and to issue
appropriate certification to such instructors;
(5) To require that all probationary candidates receive the hours of basic training
deemed necessary before being eligible for certification, such basic training to be completed within one year following the appointment as a probationary candidate, unless
the candidate is granted additional time to complete such basic training by the council;
(6) To require the registration of probationary candidates with the academy within
ten days of hiring for the purpose of scheduling training;
(7) To issue appropriate certification to police officers who have satisfactorily completed minimum basic training programs;
(8) To require that each police officer satisfactorily complete at least forty hours of
certified review training every three years in order to maintain certification, unless the
officer is granted additional time not to exceed one year to complete such training by
the council;
(9) To renew the certification of those police officers who have satisfactorily completed review training programs;
(10) To establish uniform minimum educational and training standards for employment as a police officer in full-time positions, temporary or probationary positions and
part-time or voluntary positions;
(11) To develop, in consultation with the Commissioner of Emergency Services
and Public Protection, a schedule to visit and inspect police basic training schools and
to inspect each school at least once each year;
(12) To consult with and cooperate with universities, colleges and institutes for the
development of specialized courses of study for police officers in police science and
police administration;
(13) To work with the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection
and with departments and agencies of this state and other states and the federal government concerned with police training;
(14) To make recommendations to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and
Public Protection concerning a training academy administrator, who shall be appointed
by the commissioner, and concerning the hiring of staff, within available appropriations,
that may be necessary in the performance of its functions;
(15) To perform any other acts that may be necessary and appropriate to carry out
the functions of the council as set forth in sections 7-294a to 7-294e, inclusive;
(16) To accept, with the approval of the Commissioner of Emergency Services
and Public Protection, contributions, grants, gifts, donations, services or other financial
assistance from any governmental unit, public agency or the private sector;
(17) To conduct any inspection and evaluation that may be necessary to determine
if a law enforcement unit is complying with the provisions of this section;
(18) At the request and expense of any law enforcement unit, to conduct general or
specific management surveys;
(19) To develop objective and uniform criteria for recommending any waiver of
regulations or granting a waiver of procedures established by the council;
(20) To recruit, select and appoint candidates to the position of probationary candidate, as defined in section 7-294a, and provide recruit training for candidates of the
Connecticut Police Corps program in accordance with the Police Corps Act, 42 USC
14091 et seq., as amended from time to time;
(21) To develop, adopt and revise, as necessary, comprehensive accreditation standards for the administration and management of law enforcement units, to grant accreditation to those law enforcement units that demonstrate their compliance with such standards and, at the request and expense of any law enforcement unit, to conduct such
surveys as may be necessary to determine such unit's compliance with such standards; and
(22) To recommend to the commissioner the appointment of any council training
instructor, or such other person as determined by the council, to act as a special police
officer throughout the state as such instructor or other person's official duties may require, provided any such instructor or other person so appointed shall be a certified
police officer. Each such special police officer shall be sworn and may arrest and present
before a competent authority any person for any offense committed within the officer's
precinct.
(b) No person may be employed as a police officer by any law enforcement unit for
a period exceeding one year unless such person has been certified under the provisions of
subsection (a) of this section or has been granted an extension by the council. No person
may serve as a police officer during any period when such person's certification has
been cancelled or revoked pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this section.
In addition to the requirements of this subsection, the council may establish other qualifications for the employment of police officers and require evidence of fulfillment of
these qualifications. The certification of any police officer who is not employed by a
law enforcement unit for a period of time in excess of two years, unless such officer is
on leave of absence, shall be considered lapsed. Upon reemployment as a police officer,
such officer shall apply for recertification in a manner provided by the council. The
council shall certify any applicant who presents evidence of satisfactory completion of
a program or course of instruction in another state equivalent in content and quality to
that required in this state, provided such applicant passes an examination or evaluation
as required by the council.
(c) (1) The council may refuse to renew any certificate if the holder fails to meet
the requirements for renewal of his or her certification.
(2) The council may cancel or revoke any certificate if: (A) The certificate was
issued by administrative error, (B) the certificate was obtained through misrepresentation or fraud, (C) the holder falsified any document in order to obtain or renew any
certificate, (D) the holder has been convicted of a felony, (E) the holder has been found
not guilty of a felony by reason of mental disease or defect pursuant to section 53a-13,
(F) the holder has been convicted of a violation of subsection (c) of section 21a-279
or section 29-9, (G) the holder has been refused issuance of a certificate or similar
authorization or has had his or her certificate or other authorization cancelled or revoked
by another jurisdiction on grounds which would authorize cancellation or revocation
under the provisions of this subdivision, (H) the holder has been found by a law enforcement unit, pursuant to procedures established by such unit, to have used a firearm in an
improper manner which resulted in the death or serious physical injury of another person,
or (I) the holder has been found by a law enforcement unit, pursuant to procedures
established by such unit, to have committed any act that would constitute tampering
with or fabricating physical evidence in violation of section 53a-155, perjury in violation
of section 53a-156 or false statement in the second degree in violation of section 53a-157b. Whenever the council believes there is a reasonable basis for cancellation or
revocation of the certification of a police officer, police training school or law enforcement instructor, it shall give notice and an adequate opportunity for a hearing prior to
such cancellation or revocation. The council may cancel or revoke any certificate if,
after a de novo review, it finds by clear and convincing evidence (i) a basis set forth in
subparagraphs (A) to (G), inclusive, of this subdivision, or (ii) that the holder of the
certificate committed an act set forth in subparagraph (H) or (I) of this subdivision. Any
police officer or law enforcement instructor whose certification is cancelled or revoked
pursuant to this section may reapply for certification no sooner than two years after the
date on which the cancellation or revocation order becomes final. Any police training
school whose certification is cancelled or revoked pursuant to this section may reapply
for certification at any time after the date on which such order becomes final.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, any police officer, except a probationary candidate, who is serving under full-time appointment on
July 1, 1982, shall be deemed to have met all certification requirements and shall be
automatically certified by the council in accordance with the provisions of subsection
(a) of section 7-294e.
(e) The provisions of this section shall apply to any person who performs police
functions. As used in this subsection, "performs police functions" for a person who is
not a police officer, as defined in section 7-294a, means that in the course of such person's
official duties, such person carries a firearm and exercises arrest powers pursuant to
section 54-1f or engages in the prevention, detection or investigation of crime, as defined
in section 53a-24. The council shall establish criteria by which the certification process
required by this section shall apply to police officers.
(f) The provisions of this section shall not apply to (1) any state police training
school or program, (2) any sworn member of the Division of State Police within the
Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, (3) Connecticut National
Guard security personnel, when acting within the scope of their National Guard duties,
who have satisfactorily completed a program of police training conducted by the United
States Army or Air Force, (4) employees of the Judicial Department, (5) municipal
animal control officers appointed pursuant to section 22-331, or (6) fire police appointed
pursuant to section 7-313a. The provisions of this section with respect to renewal of
certification upon satisfactory completion of review training programs shall not apply to
any chief inspector or inspector in the Division of Criminal Justice who has satisfactorily
completed a program of police training conducted by the division. Notwithstanding the
provisions of subsection (b) of this section, any police officer certified in accordance
with subsection (a) of this section may accept employment with another police department within this state without repeating minimum basic training.
(February, 1965, P.A. 575, S. 5; 1967, P.A. 669; P.A. 77-289; P.A. 81-426, S. 3; P.A. 82-357, S. 3, 8; P.A. 87-99; 87-560, S. 2; P.A. 91-186; P.A. 92-128, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-271, S. 1, 3; 93-435, S. 1, 95; P.A. 94-44, S. 1, 2; May Sp. Sess. P.A.
94-6, S. 10, 28; P.A. 95-108, S. 4; P.A. 00-51, S. 1, 2; P.A. 01-195, S. 13, 181; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 169; P.A.
05-200, S. 1; P.A. 07-151, S. 2; 07-217, S. 22; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7, S. 32; P.A. 11-51, S. 147; 11-61, S. 154; 11-233,
S. 2; 11-251, S. 1.)
History: 1967 act inserted new Subdiv. (k) re personnel and relettered former Subdiv. (k) as Subdiv. (l); P.A. 77-289
added Subdiv. (m) re acceptance of contributions etc.; P.A. 81-426 expanded the authority of the council to all police
training programs, except the state police, and enlarged the scope of its powers to include requiring a minimum of 480
hours of basic training for all probationary candidates and setting requirements of in-service training programs and certification; P.A. 82-357 broadened the powers of the council and added provisions dealing with certification of police officers,
cancellation or revocation of certificates, automatic certification and part-time police officers; P.A. 87-99 amended Subsec.
(f), exempting certain Connecticut national guard security personnel from training requirements; P.A. 87-560 amended
Subsec. (a) to delete requirement in Subdiv. (7) re any police officer hired on a part-time basis, renumbering all remaining
subdivisions, to require issuance of "certification" in lieu of "certificates of approval" or "certificates", to clarify that each
police officer complete 40 hours of review training every three years "in order to maintain his certification", to require the
renewal of certification for those officers who have satisfactorily completed review training and to require the establishment
of "uniform" minimum educational and training standards for all police officers, amended Subsec. (c) to authorize council
to refuse to renew any certificate if holder thereof fails to meet requirements for certification renewal to require council
to give adequate opportunity for a hearing whenever it believes there is reasonable basis for cancellation or revocation of
a police training school or law enforcement instructor certification to permit a law enforcement instructor to reapply for
certification two years after date cancellation or revocation order becomes final and to permit a police training school to
reapply for certification at any time after date on which order becomes final, and amended Subsec. (e) to specifically
provide that section applies to any person who performs police functions, deleting reference to "twenty or more hours per
week"; P.A. 91-186 amended Subsec. (f) to exempt any chief inspector or inspector in division of criminal justice who
has completed division training program from requirements re renewal of certification; P.A. 92-128 amended Subsec. (c)
to authorize council to cancel or revoke any certificate if holder falsified any document in order to obtain or renew any
certificate, has been found not guilty of a felony due to mental disease or defect, has been convicted of a violation of Sec.
21a-279(c) or 29-9, has been refused issuance of a certificate or has had certificate revoked by another jurisdiction or has
been found to have used a firearm in an improper manner which resulted in death or serious physical injury of another
person; P.A. 93-271 amended Subsec. (a)(5) to delete requirement that probationary candidates receive a minimum of 480
hours of basic training and substitute requirement that such candidates receive the hours of basic training deemed necessary
and to eliminate obsolete provision in Subsec. (a)(8) relating to police officers who have completed basic training on or
before July 1, 1982, effective June 29, 1993; P.A. 93-435 made a technical change in Subsec. (c)(2), effective June 28,
1993; P.A. 94-44 amended Subsec. (a)(8) to authorize council to grant additional time not to exceed one year to a police
officer to complete his certified review training, effective May 24, 1994; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-6 amended Subsec. (f) to
add the exception for employees of the judicial department, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-108 renamed Municipal Police
Training Council as Police Officer Standards and Training Council, amended Subsec. (e) to add definition of "performs
police functions" and amended Subsec. (f) to explicitly exempt from the section's training requirements sworn members
of the state police, trained sheriffs or deputy sheriffs, municipal animal control officers and fire police; P.A. 00-51 amended
Subsec. (a) to add management of Connecticut Police Corps program to powers of council and made technical changes
for the purposes of gender neutrality, effective May 16, 2000; P.A. 01-195 deleted Subsec. (f)(5) re sheriffs or deputy
sheriffs, renumbering existing Subdivs. (6) and (7) as Subdivs. (5) and (6), effective July 11, 2001; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A.
03-6 added Subsec. (a)(21) and (22) re comprehensive accreditation standards for law enforcement units and appointment
of special police officers; P.A. 05-200 amended Subsec. (c)(2) to add Subpara. (I) re commission of acts that would constitute
tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, perjury or false statement as grounds for cancellation or revocation of
a certificate, require the council to give "notice" prior to such cancellation or revocation and add provision authorizing the
council to cancel or revoke a certificate if, after a de novo review, it finds by clear and convincing evidence a basis set
forth in Subparas. (A) to (G), inclusive, or that the holder committed an act set forth in Subpara. (H) or (I), and made
technical changes for purposes of gender neutrality in Subsec. (c); P.A. 07-151 amended Subsec. (a)(14) to specify that
council may employ an unclassified executive secretary, effective June 19, 2007; P.A. 07-217 made a technical change in
Subsec. (d), effective July 12, 2007; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7 amended Subsec. (a) to delete council's power to employ
unclassified executive secretary and add "within available appropriations" in Subdiv. (14) and to make a technical change,
effective October 5, 2009; P.A. 11-51 amended Subsec. (a) by requiring schedule to be developed in consultation with
Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection in Subdiv. (11), replacing "consult with and cooperate" with
"work with the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection" in Subdiv. (13), deleting authority to employ
personnel and adding language authorizing council to make recommendations to commissioner re staff in Subdiv. (14),
adding provision re approval of commissioner in Subdiv. (16), replacing "granting" with "recommending" and adding
language authorizing council to grant waiver of procedures in Subdiv. (19) and deleting former Subdiv. (22) re appointment
of council training instructor, amended Subsec. (f) by replacing "Department of Public Safety" with "Department of
Emergency Services and Public Protection", and made technical changes throughout, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-61
amended Subsec. (a) by adding new Subdiv. (22) re appointment of council training instructor, effective July 1, 2011; P.A.
11-233 amended Subsec. (a)(14) by adding provision re recommendations concerning a training academy administrator
appointed by commissioner, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-251 amended Subsec. (f) to allow certified police officers to
accept employment with another police department within this state without repeating minimum basic training.
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Sec. 7-294e. Recertification of police officers. Regulations. (a) Notwithstanding
the provisions of any general statute or special act or local law, ordinance or charter to
the contrary, each police officer shall forfeit such officer's appointment and position
unless recertified by the council according to procedures and within the time frame
established by the council.
(b) The Police Officer Standards and Training Council may recommend to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection any regulations it deems necessary to carry out the provisions of section 7-294a, subsection (a) of section 7-294b,
sections 7-294c and 7-294d and this section, giving due consideration to the varying
factors and special requirements of law enforcement units.
(c) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection may adopt
regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, as are necessary to implement the provisions of section 7-294a, subsection (a) of section 7-294b, sections 7-294c
and 7-294d and this section. Such regulations shall be binding upon all law enforcement
units, except the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services
and Public Protection.
(February, 1965, P.A. 575, S. 6; P.A. 81-426, S. 4; P.A. 82-357, S. 4, 8; P.A. 91-73, S. 2, 4; P.A. 95-108, S. 5; P.A. 11-51, S. 148.)
History: P.A. 81-426 provided that after October 1, 1981, every person who is appointed a police officer, except a state
police officer, must complete a basic training program and be awarded a certificate by the council or lose his position;
P.A. 82-357 provided for recertification procedures effective July 1, 1982 and deleted obsolete provision which had allowed
fifteen-year grace period for police officers serving without certification on October 1, 1966; P.A. 91-73 deleted obsolete
provisions in Subsec. (a); P.A. 95-108 amended Subsec. (b) to rename Municipal Police Training Council as Police Officer
Standards and Training Council; P.A. 11-51 amended Subsec. (b) to remove council's authority to adopt regulations and
to authorize council to recommend regulations to Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, added
Subsec. (c) authorizing Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection to adopt regulations and made technical
and conforming changes, effective July 1, 2011.
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Sec. 7-294o. Development and implementation of policy re missing person reports. Training. (a) Not later than January 1, 2012, the Police Officer Standards and
Training Council shall develop and implement a policy concerning the acceptance of
missing person reports, including, but not limited to, adult missing person reports, by
law enforcement agencies in this state and such agencies' response thereto. Such policy
shall include, but not be limited to, (1) guidelines for the acceptance of a missing person
report, (2) the types of information that a law enforcement agency should seek to ascertain and record concerning the missing person or missing adult person that would aid
in locating the missing person or missing adult person, (3) the circumstances that indicate
that a missing person or missing adult person is a high risk missing person, (4) the types
of information that a law enforcement agency should provide to the person making the
missing person report, to a family member or to any other person in a position to assist
the law enforcement agency in its efforts to locate the missing person or missing adult
person, and (5) the responsibilities of a law enforcement agency in responding to a
missing person report and the manner of such response, including preferred methods
of response that are sensitive to the emotions of the person making such report.
(b) Each police basic or review training program conducted or administered by
the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public
Protection, the Police Officer Standards and Training Council or a municipal police
department shall include training in the policy developed pursuant to subsection (a) of
this section and training in the use of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons
System created by the Office of Justice Program's National Institute of Justice.
(P.A. 07-151, S. 1; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; 11-102, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 07-151 effective July 1, 2007; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, "Division of State Police within the Department
of Public Safety" was changed editorially by the Revisors to "Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection" in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-102 designated existing provisions as Subsec.
(a) and amended same by inserting references to "missing adult person", adding provision re methods of response that are
sensitive to emotions of reporting person and making technical changes, and added Subsec. (b) to require police basic or
review training programs to include training in the policy developed re missing person reports and in the use of the National
Missing and Unidentified Persons System.
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Sec. 7-294p. Connecticut Police Academy. Maintenance and operation. Municipal police officer training and education extension account. (a) The Department
of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall, in consultation with the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, maintain and operate the Connecticut Police Academy to offer training for municipal police officers. The department, in consultation with
the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, shall fix tuition and fees for training,
education programs and sessions and for such other purposes as the Commissioner of
Emergency Services and Public Protection deems necessary for the operation and support of the academy. Such fees shall be used solely for training and educational purposes.
(b) The department may establish and maintain a municipal police officer training
and education extension account, which shall be a separate, nonlapsing account within
the General Fund. The account shall contain any moneys required by law to be deposited
in the account. The account shall be used for the operation of such training and education
programs and sessions as the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection,
in consultation with the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, may establish.
All proceeds derived from the operation of the training and education programs and
sessions shall be deposited in the General Fund and shall be credited to and become a
part of the resources of the account. All direct expenses incurred in the conduct of the
training and education programs and sessions shall be charged and any payments of
interest and principal of bonds or any sums transferable to any fund for the payment of
interest and principal of bonds and any cost of equipment for such operations may be
charged, against the account on order of the State Comptroller. Any balance of receipts
above expenditures shall remain in the account to be used for training and education
programs and sessions.
(Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7, S. 40; P.A. 11-51, S. 149; 11-61, S. 97.)
History: Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-7 effective October 5, 2009; P.A. 11-51 replaced former provisions re recovering costs
of providing training at Connecticut Police Academy from municipalities with Subsecs. (a) and (b) re maintenance and
operation of Connecticut Police Academy, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-61 added "in consultation with the Police
Officer Standards and Training Council" re department's duties and deleted provision re approval of Office of Policy and
Management, effective July 1, 2011.
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Sec. 7-308. Liability of volunteer firefighter, volunteer ambulance member or
volunteer fire police officer. (a) As used in this section, "municipality" has the same
meaning as provided in section 7-314; "fire duties" has the same meaning as provided
in section 7-314; "ambulance service" means "ambulance service" as defined in section
7-314b; "volunteer ambulance member" means "active member of an organization certified as a volunteer ambulance service in accordance with section 19a-180" as defined
in section 7-314b; and "fire police officer" means any active member of a volunteer fire
police organization operating under a municipal fire department that provides support
services to such department in accordance with section 7-313a.
(b) Each municipality of this state, notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of
law, general, special or local, or any limitation contained in the provisions of any charter,
shall protect and save harmless any volunteer firefighter, volunteer ambulance member
or volunteer fire police officer of such municipality from financial loss and expense,
including legal fees and costs, if any, arising out of (1) any claim, demand, suit or
judgment by reason of alleged negligence on the part of such volunteer firefighter,
volunteer ambulance member or volunteer fire police officer while performing fire,
volunteer ambulance or fire police duties, and (2) any claim, demand or suit instituted
against such volunteer firefighter, volunteer ambulance member or volunteer fire police
officer by reason of alleged malicious, wanton or wilful act on the part of such volunteer
firefighter, volunteer ambulance member or volunteer fire police officer while performing fire, volunteer ambulance or fire police duties. In the event that a court of law
enters a judgment against such volunteer firefighter, volunteer ambulance member or
volunteer fire police officer for a malicious, wanton or wilful act, such volunteer firefighter, volunteer ambulance member or volunteer fire police officer shall reimburse
such municipality for any expenses that the municipality incurred in providing such
defense, and such municipality shall be exempt from any liability to such volunteer
firefighter, volunteer ambulance member or volunteer fire police officer for any financial
loss resulting from such act. This section shall not apply to damages to a person caused
by an employee to a fellow employee while both employees are engaged in the scope
of their employment for such municipality if the employee suffering such damages or,
in the case of his or her death, his or her dependent, has a right to benefits or compensation
under chapter 568 by reason of such damages. If a firefighter or, in the case of his or
her death, his or her dependent, has a right to benefits or compensation under chapter
568 by reason of injury or death caused by the negligence or wrong of a fellow employee
while both employees are engaged in the scope of their employment for such municipality, such firefighter or, in the case of his or her death, his or her dependent, shall have
no cause of action against such fellow employee to recover damages for such injury or
death unless such wrong was wilful and malicious. Such municipality may arrange for
and maintain appropriate insurance or may elect to act as a self-insurer to maintain such
protection. No action or proceeding instituted pursuant to the provisions of this section
shall be prosecuted or maintained against the municipality or firefighter, volunteer ambulance member or volunteer fire police officer unless at least thirty days have elapsed
since the demand, claim or claims upon which such action or special proceeding is
founded were presented to the clerk or corresponding officer of such municipality. No
action for personal injuries or damages to real or personal property shall be maintained
against such municipality and firefighter, volunteer ambulance member or volunteer
fire police officer unless such action is commenced within one year after the cause of
action therefor arose and notice of the intention to commence such action and of the
time when and the place where the damages were incurred or sustained has been filed
with the clerk or corresponding officer of such municipality and with the firefighter,
volunteer ambulance member or volunteer fire police officer not later than six months
after such cause of action has accrued. No action for trespass shall lie against any firefighter crossing or working upon lands of another to extinguish fire or for investigation
of such fire. No action for trespass shall lie against any volunteer ambulance member
crossing or working upon lands of another while performing ambulance services. No
action for trespass shall lie against any volunteer fire police officer crossing or working
upon lands of another while performing fire police services. Governmental immunity
shall not be a defense in any action brought under this section. In any such action the
municipality and the firefighter, or the municipality and the volunteer ambulance member, or the municipality and the volunteer fire police officer, may be represented by the
same attorney.
(1955, S. 266d; 1957, P.A. 401, S. 2; 1959, P.A. 446, S. 1; 1961, P.A. 355; February, 1965, P.A. 596; P.A. 98-108, S.
2; P.A. 03-278, S. 14; P.A. 11-243, S. 1.)
History: 1959 act substituted reference to Sec. 7-314 for reference to Sec. 7-309 and defined "fire duties"; 1961 act
added provisions re damages caused employee by fellow employee; 1965 act added provisions re representation of municipality and fireman by same attorney; P.A. 98-108 divided existing section into Subsecs. (a) and (b) and added provisions
re volunteer ambulance members (Revisor's note: In Subsec. (a) the phrase "`fire duties' mean ..." was changed editorially
by the Revisors to "`fire duties' means ..." for grammatical correctness); P.A. 03-278 replaced "verdict" with "final judgment" and made technical changes in Subsec. (b), effective July 9, 2003; P.A. 11-243 added definition of "fire police
officer" in Subsec. (a), substantially revised Subsec. (b) re liability of volunteer firefighter, volunteer ambulance member
or volunteer fire police officer and made technical changes.
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Sec. 7-322d. Election of officers. Ballots exempt from Freedom of Information
Act. Nothing in chapter 14 shall be construed to require the disclosure of secret ballots
used for the election of an officer of a volunteer fire department.
(P.A. 11-220, S. 4.)
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Sec. 7-323k. Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. (a) There is established a Commission on Fire Prevention and Control to consist of twelve members
appointed by the Governor. The State Fire Marshal or his or her designee and the president of the Board of Regents for Higher Education or his or her designee shall serve as
ex-officio, voting members of said commission. Of the twelve members appointed by
the Governor, two shall represent The Connecticut State Firefighter's Association, two
shall represent the Connecticut Fire Chiefs Association, two shall represent the Uniformed Professional Firefighters of the International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO, two shall represent the Connecticut Fire Marshals Association, two shall represent
the Connecticut Fire Department Instructors Association and two shall represent the
Connecticut Conference of Municipalities.
(b) On or before July fifteenth, annually, each organization to be represented on
said commission shall submit to the Governor a list of nominees for appointment to
said commission, which list the Governor may use when making appointments to said
commission. On or before September 1, 1975, the Governor shall appoint eight members
of said commission to serve for a term of three years and on or before September 1,
1976, he shall appoint four members for a term of one year. Thereafter he shall appoint
members to said commission, to replace those whose terms have expired, to serve for
three years. Persons appointed to said commission shall be qualified, by experience or
education, in the fields of fire protection, fire prevention, fire suppression, fire fighting
and related fields.
(c) The commission shall meet at such times and at such places as it deems proper.
Said commission shall elect from its membership a chairman, vice chairman and secretary who shall serve a one year term commencing on October first of the year in which
they are elected, provided nothing contained herein shall prevent their reelection to such
office. No member of said commission shall receive compensation for such member's
services.
(d) Members of the commission shall not be considered as holding public office
solely by virtue of their membership on said commission.
(e) The commission shall be within the Department of Emergency Services and
Public Protection.
(P.A. 73-649, S. 2, 5; P.A. 75-617, S. 2, 8; P.A. 80-169, S. 1; P.A. 82-432, S. 1, 19; P.A. 89-260, S. 7, 41; P.A. 96-190,
S. 6, 8; P.A. 11-48, S. 274; 11-51, S. 150.)
History: P.A. 75-617 substituted commission on fire prevention and control for commission on fire fighting personnel
standards and education, substituted executive secretary of state technical colleges board of trustees or his designee for
secretary of the state board of education, increased membership from nine to twelve members, increased from one to two
the representatives of the Connecticut Fire Marshals Association, the Connecticut Fire Department Instructors Association
and the Connecticut Conference of Mayors, amended appointment provisions in Subsec. (b) and made term three rather
than two years and made executive secretary of technical colleges board of trustees, rather than director, responsible for
providing facilities which no longer were required to be at Hartford State Technical College; P.A. 80-169 substituted
director of technical colleges board of trustees for executive secretary and Connecticut Conference of Municipalities for
Conference of Mayors in Subsec. (a) and deleted Subsec. (d), relettering Subsec. (e) accordingly; P.A. 82-432 added
Subsec. (e) placing the commission in the department of public safety for administrative purposes only; P.A. 89-260 in
Subsec. (a) substituted the "executive secretary of the board of trustees of community-technical colleges" for the "director
of the board of trustees of the state technical colleges"; P.A. 96-190 amended Subsec. (a) to replace reference to secretary
of community-technical colleges board of trustees with "chancellor" of community-technical colleges, effective July 1,
1996; P.A. 11-48 amended Subsec. (a) to make technical changes and replace "chancellor of the community-technical
colleges" with "president of the Board of Regents for Higher Education", effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-51 amended
Subsec. (a) by changing "Firemen's" to "Firefighter's" and adding "Professional", amended Subsec. (e) by removing
commission from Department of Public Safety for administrative purposes only and placing commission in Department
of Emergency Services and Public Protection, and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2011.
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Sec. 7-323l. Duties of Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. Regulations. (a) The commission shall:
(1) Recommend minimum standards of education and physical condition required
of each candidate for any firefighter position;
(2) Establish standards for a fire service training and education program, on a voluntary basis, and develop and conduct an examination program to certify those fire service
personnel who satisfactorily demonstrate their ability to meet the requirements of the
fire service training and education program standards;
(3) Conduct fire fighting training and education programs designed to assist firefighters in developing and maintaining their skills and keeping abreast of technological
advances in fire suppression, fire protection, fire prevention and related fields;
(4) Recommend standards for promotion to the various ranks of fire departments;
(5) Be authorized, with the approval of the Commissioner of Emergency Services
and Public Protection, to apply for, receive and distribute any state, federal or private
funds or contributions available for training and education of fire fighting personnel;
(6) Recommend that the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection approve or reject the establishment of, or, when appropriate, suspend or revoke the
approval of, regional fire schools in accordance with section 7-323u; and
(7) Submit to the Governor, the Joint Legislative Management Committee of the
General Assembly and the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection
an annual report relating to the activities, recommendations and accomplishments of
the commission.
(b) The commission may recommend, and the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection may adopt, regulations in accordance with the provisions
of chapter 54 as necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
(P.A. 73-649, S. 3, 5; P.A. 75-617, S. 3, 8; P.A. 80-169, S. 2; P.A. 83-566, S. 3, 6; P.A. 98-226, S. 2; P.A. 11-51, S.
151; 11-243, S. 4.)
History: P.A. 75-617 deleted reference to standards of temperament in Subsec. (a) and changed effective date of standards for use in hiring from January 1, 1975, to January 1, 1976; P.A. 80-169 replaced provisions of Subsec. (a) with
requirement to recommend minimum standards of education and physical condition, replaced provisions for in-service
training with new provisions for voluntary training and education program and reworded Subsecs. (c) and (d), removing
from Subsec. (d) requirement for consultation with technical colleges' committee of fire technology and administration;
P.A. 83-566 amended Subsec. (b), replacing references to "fire fighting" with "fire service" and amended Subsec. (e),
authorizing commission to receive and distribute private funds or contributions for training and education of fire fighting
personnel; P.A. 98-226 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), replacing alphabetic Subdivs. (a) to (f) with Subdivs.
(1) to (6) and added Subsec. (b) giving the commission authority to adopt regulations; P.A. 11-51 amended Subsec. (a) by
adding "with the approval of the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection" in Subdiv. (5) and by
requiring annual report to be submitted to Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection in Subdiv. (6),
amended Subsec. (b) by removing commission's authority to adopt regulations, authorizing Commissioner of Emergency
Services and Public Protection to adopt regulations, and authorizing commission to recommend regulations, and made
technical changes, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-243 amended Subsec. (a) by adding "state," re funds available for training
and education of fire fighting personnel in Subdiv. (5), adding new Subdiv. (6) re recommendation of approval or rejection
of regional fire schools and redesignating existing Subdiv. (6) as Subdiv. (7).
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Sec. 7-323o. State Fire Administrator, appointment and duties. There is established the position of State Fire Administrator who shall be recommended by the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control and appointed by the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection and who shall: (1) Carry out the requirements of
section 7-323n; (2) administer federal funds and grants allocated to the fire services of
the state; (3) provide technical assistance and guidance to fire fighting forces of any
state or municipal agency; (4) develop a centralized information and audiovisual library
regarding fire prevention and control; (5) accumulate, disseminate and analyze fire prevention data; (6) recommend specifications of fire service materials and equipment and
assist in the purchasing thereof; (7) assist in mutual aid coordination; (8) coordinate fire
programs with those of the other states; (9) assist in communications coordination; (10)
establish and maintain a fire service information program; and (11) review the purchase
of fire apparatus or equipment at state institutions, facilities and properties and, on and
after July 1, 1985, coordinate the training and education of fire service personnel at such
institutions, facilities and properties. The provisions of this section shall not be construed
to apply to forest fire prevention and control programs administered by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection pursuant to sections 23-33 to 23-57,
inclusive.
(P.A. 75-617, S. 6, 8; P.A. 80-169, S. 3; P.A. 84-357, S. 2; P.A. 86-97, S. 1; P.A. 11-61, S. 81; 11-80, S. 1.)
History: P.A. 80-169 included fire control information as subject of concern for centralized library; P.A. 84-357 added
Subdiv. (k), expanding the duties of administrator re fire equipment and personnel at state institutions, facilities and
properties; P.A. 86-97 added provision clarifying the authority of the commissioner of environmental protection and
substituted numeric Subdiv. indicators for alphabetic Subdiv. indicators; P.A. 11-61 required State Fire Administrator to
be recommended by Commission on Fire Prevention and Control and appointed by Commissioner of Emergency Services
and Public Protection, changed "Commissioner of Environmental Protection" to "Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection" and made a technical change, effective July 1, 2011.
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Sec. 7-323p. State fire school. Training and education extension account. Auxiliary services account. (a) The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall (1) maintain and operate a state fire school that shall serve as the training and
education facility for the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, and (2) provide
training and educational services in accordance with the standards established pursuant
to section 7-323l. The use of any hazardous material, as defined in section 29-307a,
except a virgin fuel, is prohibited in the simulation of any fire. The Department of
Emergency Services and Public Protection shall, in consultation with the commission,
fix fees for training and education programs and sessions and for such other purposes
deemed necessary for the operation and support of the school. Such fees shall be used
solely for training and education purposes.
(b) The department may establish and maintain a state fire school training and education extension account, which shall be a separate account within the General Fund.
The account shall contain any moneys required by law to be deposited in the account.
The account shall be used for the operation of such training and education programs
and sessions as said department may establish, for the purchase of such equipment as
is required for use in the operation of such programs and sessions, and, within available
funding, for (1) reimbursement to municipalities and municipal fire departments for
one-half of the costs of Firefighter I certification and recruit training of municipal volunteer and paid fire service personnel, and (2) reimbursement to state agencies for one-half of the costs of Firefighter I certification and recruit training of state agency fire
service personnel. All proceeds derived from the operation of the training and education
programs and sessions shall be deposited in the General Fund and shall be credited to
and become a part of the resources of the account. All direct expenses incurred in the
conduct of the training, certification and education programs and sessions shall be
charged, and any payments of interest and principal of bonds or any sums transferable
to any fund for the payment of interest and principal of bonds and any cost of equipment
for such operations may be charged, against the account on order of the State Comptroller. Any balance of receipts above expenditures shall remain in the account to be used
by the department for training and education programs and sessions, and for the acquisition, as provided by section 4b-21, alteration and repairs of real property for educational
facilities, except such sums as may be required to be transferred from time to time to
any fund for the redemption of bonds and payment of interest on bonds, provided repairs,
alterations or additions to educational facilities costing fifty thousand dollars or less
shall require the approval of the Commissioner of Construction Services, and capital
projects costing over fifty thousand dollars shall require the approval of the General
Assembly or, when the General Assembly is not in session, of the Finance Advisory
Committee.
(c) The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection may establish
and maintain a state fire school auxiliary services account, which shall be a separate
account within the General Fund. The account shall be used for the operation, maintenance and repair of auxiliary service facilities and for such other auxiliary activities of
the state fire school as said department determines. The proceeds of such activities shall
be deposited in the General Fund and shall be credited to and become a part of the
resources of the account. All direct expenses of operation, maintenance and repair of
facilities, food services and other auxiliary activities shall be charged, and any payments
of interest and principal of bonds or any sums transferable to any fund for the payment
of interest and principal of bonds and any cost of equipment for such operations may
be charged, against the account on order of the State Comptroller. Any balance of receipts
above expenditures shall remain in the account to be used for the improvement and
extension of such activities, except such sums as may be required to be transferred from
time to time to any fund for the redemption of bonds and payment of interest on bonds,
provided repairs, alterations or additions to auxiliary service facilities costing fifty thousand dollars or less shall require the approval of the Commissioner of Construction
Services, and capital projects costing over fifty thousand dollars shall require the approval of the General Assembly or, when the General Assembly is not in session, of the
Finance Advisory Committee. The department, with the approval of the Secretary of
the Office of Policy and Management and the Finance Advisory Committee, may borrow
from the resources of the General Fund at any time such sum or sums as it deems
advisable, to establish or continue auxiliary services activities, such sums to be repaid
in accordance with such schedule as the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall establish.
(P.A. 83-566, S. 1, 6; P.A. 84-546, S. 14, 173; P.A. 86-312, S. 1, 21; 86-373, S. 2, 3; P.A. 87-496, S. 45, 110; June Sp.
Sess. P.A. 07-4, S. 7; P.A. 11-51, S. 90, 152.)
History: P.A. 84-546 made technical change in Subsec. (a); P.A. 86-312 amended Subsecs. (b) and (c) to change training
and education extension "fund" and auxiliary services "fund" to separate "accounts" within the general fund; P.A. 86-373
amended Subsec. (a) to prohibit use of any hazardous material in fire simulation; P.A. 87-496 replaced administrative
services commissioner with public works commissioner; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4 amended Subsec. (b) to provide the
account contain any required moneys, add Subdivs. (1) and (2) re costs reimbursements and provide that expenses incurred
for certification be charged to the account, effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 11-51 amended Subsec. (a) by requiring Department
of Emergency Services and Public Protection, rather than Office of State Fire Administration, to maintain and operate fire
school, designating provision requiring maintenance and operation of state fire school as Subdiv. (1), adding Subdiv. (2)
re providing training and educational services, requiring department to fix fees in consultation with commission and making
conforming changes, amended Subsec. (b) by requiring account to be used for operation of training and education programs,
changing "education extension programs" to "education programs", and providing that account shall be used within available funding for purposes in Subdivs. (1) and (2), amended Subsec. (c) by replacing "commission" with "Department of
Emergency Services and Public Protection" and adding provision re approval of Secretary of the Office of Policy and
Management, and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2011; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, "Commissioner of Public Works"
was changed editorially by the Revisors to "Commissioner of Construction Services" in Subsecs. (b) and (c), effective
July 1, 2011.
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Sec. 7-323u. Regional fire school. Notice and hearing. Appeals. Regulations.
(a) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, in consultation
with the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control and the Connecticut State Firefighters Association, shall approve the establishment of any regional fire school. Any
municipality seeking to establish a regional fire school shall hold a public hearing in
the municipality where the regional fire school is proposed to be established and, after
the public hearing, submit an application to the commissioner. Not later than sixty days
after such application, the commissioner, in consultation with the commission and the
Connecticut State Firefighters Association, shall approve or deny the application.
(b) The commissioner may, in consultation with the commission and the Connecticut State Firefighters Association, suspend or revoke the approval of any regional fire
school that fails to meet the standards established by the commissioner in accordance
with section 7-323l or any regulations adopted in accordance with subsection (c) of this
section, provided the commissioner shall not suspend or revoke the approval of any
regional fire school approved prior to October 1, 2011. The commissioner shall immediately send written notice of its decision to suspend or revoke approval to the regional
fire school affected. Not later than ten days after receiving notice that the commissioner
has revoked or suspended approval of such regional fire school, the recipient may request
a hearing. Not later than thirty days after the commissioner receives such request, the
commissioner shall hold a hearing in accordance with chapter 54. Any appeal of the
hearing's outcome shall be in accordance with section 4-183.
(c) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, in consultation with the commission and the Connecticut State Firefighters Association, shall adopt
regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to implement the provisions
of this section.
(P.A. 11-243, S. 3.)
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