HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 69
(By Delegate Faircloth)
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to make
a statewide study of use of law-enforcement technology,
personnel practices and policies, quality of life
considerations and conduct and fitness for duty of
law-enforcement personnel.
Whereas, The use of available technologies varies significantly
between law-enforcement agencies; and
Whereas, Personnel policies and procedures may inadvertently
result in quality of life irritants as well as outcomes which
decrease the effectiveness of law-enforcement mission
accomplishment; and
Whereas, Characteristics of different complaint systems
relating to the conduct and fitness for duty of individual police
officers vary widely from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and the
effectiveness of such complaint systems are largely unknown;
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government Fund finance is hereby
requested to appoint a joint interim committee of the Senate and House of Delegates, consisting of six members of the House of
Delegates, to be designated by the speaker of the House of
Delegates, and six members of the Senate, to be designated by the
president of the Senate, to make a study of law-enforcement
technology, personnel practices and policies, quality of life
considerations and conduct and fitness for duty, specifically
including:
1. Applying technologies to reduce the risk of life, such as
video cameras and the use of police dogs; and, identifying factors
which contribute to the loss of trained personnel to out-of-state
agencies, including adequacy of compensation and benefit packages,
local residential requirements and transfers; and
2. The long term impact, if any, of law-enforcement activities
on officers and their families; and
3. The number and types of complaints and allegations against
state police, type of procedures used, disposition of complaints,
disciplinary actions type of conduct; methods of insuring the
integrity of the complaint process; and
An analysis of settlements by the board of risk management and
lawsuits lost regarding improper police behavior; and
5. Correlation, if any, between the effectiveness or weakness
of complaint programs and board of risk pay outs; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the committee shall report to the
Legislature its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with the drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its
recommendations, no later than the first day of January, two
thousand one; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct the
study and to prepare the appropriate reports, recommendations and
proposed legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the
Joint Committee on Government and Finance.