Bill Would Make Mental Health Training Mandatory For Police

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- State legislators are considering a bill requiring police officers in Minnesota to receive a minimal amount of mental health crisis training.

The Senate Judiciary Budget committee took up the legislation Monday that would require officers to get four hours of training on how to respond to mental health calls. The bill's sponsor is DFL Sen. John Marty of Roseville. Marty's community is where police fatally shot John Birkeland in February. The 52-year-old man was known to have mental health issues and had stabbed a police dog in the head with a knife.

Minnesota Public Radio News cited a state audit report on mental health services in county jails that found sheriffs statewide reported about 13 percent of their deputies have completed a week-long, 40-hour crisis intervention training program.