Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 104 - Municipal Police and Fire Protection
Section 7-282e. - Intervention in or reporting of use of unreasonable, excessive or illegal force by a witnessing officer. Records of incidents of use of physical force, discharge of a firearm or engagement of a pursuit. Review and reporting of use o...

(a)(1) Any police officer, as defined in section 7-294a, who while acting in such officer's law enforcement capacity, witnesses another police officer use what the witnessing officer objectively knows to be unreasonable, excessive or illegal use of force, shall intervene and attempt to stop such other police officer from using such force. Any such police officer who fails to intervene in such an incident may be prosecuted and punished for the same acts in accordance with the provisions of section 53a-8 as the police officer who used unreasonable, excessive or illegal force. The provisions of this subdivision do not apply to any witnessing officer who is operating in an undercover capacity at the time he or she witnesses another officer use unreasonable, excessive or illegal force.

(2) Any police officer who witnesses another police officer use what the witnessing officer objectively knows to be unreasonable, excessive or illegal use of force or is otherwise aware of such use of force by another police officer shall report, as soon as is practicable, such use of force to the law enforcement unit, as defined in section 7-294a, that employs the police officer who used such force. Any police officer required to report such an incident who fails to do so may be prosecuted and punished in accordance with the provisions of sections 53a-165 to 53a-167, inclusive.
(3) No law enforcement unit employing a police officer who intervenes in an incident pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection or reports an incident pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection may take any retaliatory personnel action or discriminate against such officer because such police officer made such report and such intervening or reporting police officer shall be protected by the provisions of section 4-61dd or section 31-51m, as applicable.
(b) Each law enforcement unit shall create and maintain a record detailing any incident (1) reported pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section, or (2) otherwise made known to the law enforcement unit during which a police officer (A) uses physical force that is likely to cause serious physical injury, as defined in section 53a-3, to another person or the death of another person, including, but not limited to, (i) striking another person with an open or closed hand, elbow, knee, club or baton, kicking another person, or using pepper spray, an electronic defense weapon, as defined in section 53a-3, or less lethal projectile on another person, (ii) using a chokehold or other method of restraint applied to the neck area or that otherwise impedes the ability to breathe or restricts blood circulation to the brain of another person, or (iii) using any other form of physical force designated by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, (B) discharges a firearm, except during a training exercise or in the course of dispatching an animal, or (C) engages in a pursuit, as defined in subsection (a) of section 14-283a. Such record shall include, but not be limited to: The name of the police officer, the time and place of the incident, a description of what occurred during the incident and, to the extent known, the names of the victims and witnesses present at such incident.
(c) Not later than February 1, 2021, and annually thereafter, each law enforcement unit shall prepare and submit a report concerning incidents described in subsection (b) of this section during the preceding calendar year to the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and Management. Such report shall include the records described in subsection (b) of this section and shall be submitted electronically using a standardized method and form disseminated jointly by the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and Management and the Police Officer Standards and Training Council. The standardized method and form shall allow compilation of statistics on each use of force incident, including, but not limited to, (1) the race and gender of such person upon whom force was used, provided the identification of such characteristics shall be based on the observation and perception of the police officer, (2) the number of times force was used on such person, and (3) any injury suffered by such person against whom force was used. The Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division within the Office of Policy and Management and the Police Officer Standards and Training Council may revise the standardized method and form and disseminate such revisions to law enforcement units. Each law enforcement unit shall, prior to submission of any such report pursuant to this subsection, redact any information from such report that may identify a minor, witness or victim.
(d) The Office of Policy and Management shall, within available appropriations, review the use of force incidents reported pursuant to this section. Not later than December 1, 2021, and annually thereafter, the office shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, the results of any such review, including any recommendations, to the Governor, the chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the judiciary and public safety.
(June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-4, S. 5; P.A. 19-90, S. 1; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-1, S. 30; P.A. 21-40, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 19-90 designated existing provisions re record of certain incidents as Subsec. (a) and amended same by adding provision re chokehold or other method of restraint applied to neck area in Subdiv. (1), adding Subdiv. (3) re engaging in pursuit, and making technical changes, and added Subsec. (b) re reporting; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-1 added new Subsec. (a) re an officer witnessing another officer's unreasonable, excessive or illegal use of force, redesignated existing Subsec. (a) as Subsec. (b) and amended same by adding new Subdiv. (1) re reporting pursuant to Subsec. (a)(2), adding new Subdiv. (2) re incidents otherwise made known to law enforcement unit, redesignating existing Subdiv. (1) as Subpara. (A), redesignating provision re types of physical force as clause (i) and amending same to add reference to elbow and knee, replace reference to electroshock weapon with reference to electronic defense weapon and add reference to less lethal projectile, redesignating provision re chokehold or other method of restraint applied to neck area as clause (ii) and amending same to add provision re impeding ability to breathe or restricting blood circulation to brain, and adding provision re other form of physical force designated by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council as clause (iii), and redesignating existing Subdivs. (2) and (3) as Subparas. (B) and (C), redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c) and amended same by replacing “February 1, 2020” with “February 1, 2021”, deleting existing Subdivs. (1) and (2), deleting Subdiv. (3) designator and adding provision re electronic submission using standardized method and form, redesignating existing Subparas. (A) to (C) as Subdivs. (1) to (3), and adding provision re revision and dissemination of standardized method and form, added Subsec. (d) re Office of Policy and Management to review use of force incidents and report results and made technical and conforming changes throughout; P.A. 21-40 made a technical change in Subsec. (c).

Structure Connecticut General Statutes

Connecticut General Statutes

Title 7 - Municipalities

Chapter 104 - Municipal Police and Fire Protection

Section 7-274. - Establishment by ordinance of town police commissions; adoption by ordinance of special act provisions when police commission established thereby.

Section 7-275. - Meetings of commissioners. Vacancies.

Section 7-276. - Powers of commissioners.

Section 7-277. - Town to bear expense.

Section 7-277a. - Police assistance agreements.

Section 7-277b. - Reimbursement for body-worn or electronic defense weapon recording equipment, data storage devices or services and dashboard cameras with a remote recorder.

Section 7-277c. - Grants to municipalities for purchase of body-worn recording equipment, digital data storage devices or services and dashboard cameras with a remote recorder.

Section 7-278. - Hearing prior to dismissal of municipal police head. Just cause requirement. Appeal.

Section 7-279. - Subpoena to appear before municipal police commissioners.

Section 7-280. - Witness fees.

Section 7-281. - Execution of criminal process in towns, cities and boroughs. Execution of arrest warrants.

Section 7-281a. - Free use of COLLECT system.

Section 7-282. - Municipal accident and police records.

Section 7-282a. - Reporting of bomb incidents.

Section 7-282b. - Automatic telephone alarms.

Section 7-282c. - Filing and dissemination of reports re missing children, missing youths and certain missing persons.

Section 7-282d. - Imposition of pedestrian citation or traffic ticket quotas prohibited.

Section 7-282e. - Intervention in or reporting of use of unreasonable, excessive or illegal force by a witnessing officer. Records of incidents of use of physical force, discharge of a firearm or engagement of a pursuit. Review and reporting of use o...

Section 7-283. - Employment of private detectives.

Section 7-284. - Police protection at places of amusement.

Section 7-285. - Sale of unclaimed goods by police departments.

Section 7-286. - Police matrons in certain cities.

Section 7-287. - Female prisoners under care of police matron.

Section 7-288. - Duty of police matron.

Section 7-289. - Qualifications of matron; salary; removal.

Section 7-290. - Separate station for female prisoners.

Section 7-291. - Police surgeons.

Section 7-291a. - Efforts re recruitment, retention and promotion of minority police officers. Annual report.

Section 7-291b. - Guidelines re recruitment, retention and promotion of minority police officers.

Section 7-291c. - Prohibition against hiring police officer dismissed for malfeasance or who resigned or retired while under investigation.

Section 7-291d. - Employment protection of police officer who seeks or receives mental health care services. Return to duty. Law enforcement unit liability.

Section 7-291e. - Requirements re provision of behavioral health assessments to police officers.

Section 7-292. - Adoption of forty-hour week for policemen.

Section 7-293. - Work week.

Section 7-294. - Earnings not affected.

Section 7-294a. - Police Officer Standards and Training Council: Definitions.

Section 7-294aa. - Reinstatement of state or municipal police officers upon return from participation in international peacekeeping operations.

Section 7-294b. - Members of council. Holding of other office.

Section 7-294bb. - State and local police policy concerning complaints from the public alleging misconduct committed by law enforcement personnel.

Section 7-294c. - Submission of annual report by council to Governor and General Assembly.

Section 7-294cc. - Development and promulgation of policy and form re police use of electronic defense weapons.

Section 7-294d. - Powers of council. Certification of police officers, police training schools and law enforcement instructors. Refusal to renew, suspension, cancellation or revocation of certification. Hearing. Automatic certification. Exemptions. W...

Section 7-294dd. - Reimbursement for cost of police officer certification.

Section 7-294e. - Recertification of police officers. Regulations.

Section 7-294ee. - Minimum standards and practices for the administration, management and operation of law enforcement units. Unit state-accreditation tier certification or accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies...

Section 7-294f. - State and local police training programs to include course on sexual assault investigation and rape crisis intervention.

Section 7-294ff. - Development of model critical incident and peer support policy. Policy adoption. Provision of peer support and mental health referral services.

Section 7-294g. - State and local police training programs to provide training re domestic violence, child abuse, and suicide intervention procedures.

Section 7-294gg. - State and local police training programs to provide training on resilience and self-care techniques.

Section 7-294h. - State and local police training programs to provide training on the handling of juvenile matters and adults with autism spectrum disorder, cognitive impairment or nonverbal learning disorder.

Section 7-294hh. - State and local police policy concerning crowd management. Regulations. Training.

Section 7-294ii. - Requirements re police officer affixing and displaying badge and name tag on uniform. Development and promulgation of model policy.

Section 7-294jj. - Acquisition and inventory of military designed equipment by state and municipal police. Order to sell, transfer or dispose of by office of the Governor and Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection. Reconsideration o...

Section 7-294kk. - Determination of number of drug recognition experts. Development of model policy. Policy adoption. Drug recognition expert and advanced roadside impaired driving enforcement training.

Section 7-294l. - State and local police training programs to provide training on gang-related violence.

Section 7-294ll. - Issuance of guidance to police re determination of whether a person is in possession of cannabis in excess of legal limit.

Section 7-294m. (Formerly Sec. 7-294j). - Instruction re new legal developments for municipal chief law enforcement officers.

Section 7-294mm. - Timely notification by a peace officer of a death.

Section 7-294n. - State and local police training programs to provide training on crimes motivated by bigotry or bias.

Section 7-294nn. - Law enforcement unit policy permitting police officers to wear religious head coverings.

Section 7-294o. - Development and implementation of policy re missing person reports. Training.

Section 7-294p. - Connecticut Police Academy. Maintenance and operation. Municipal police officer training and education extension account.

Section 7-294q. - State and local police training programs to provide training on eyewitness identification procedures.

Section 7-294r. - (Note: This section is repealed, effective October 1, 2023.) State and local police training programs to provide training on handling incidents involving individuals affected with serious mental illness.

Section 7-294s. - State and local police training programs to provide training in the use of physical force and body-worn recording equipment and cultural competency and sensitivity training.

Section 7-294t. - Eyewitness Identification and Emerging Technologies Task Force.

Section 7-294u. - State and local police training re use of opioid antagonist. Maintaining supply of and carrying opioid antagonists.

Section 7-294v. - State and local police training programs to provide training on interactions with persons who have mental or physical disabilities and persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind.

Section 7-294w. - State and local police training programs to include traffic incident management.

Section 7-294x. - Council to provide training to public school security personnel.

Section 7-294y. (Formerly Sec. 7-294i). - State and local police policy on the handling and processing of juvenile matters.

Section 7-294z. (Formerly Sec. 7-294k). - Use of radar devices by state and municipal police officers.

Section 7-294aaa. - Establishment of civilian police review boards.

Section 7-295. - Acceptance of part.

Section 7-296. - Reserve fund of police department.

Section 7-297. - Veteran reserve; retirement; death benefits.

Section 7-298. - Removal of policemen not restricted.

Section 7-299. - City ordinances.

Section 7-300. - Establishment of funds in towns and boroughs.

Section 7-301. - Establishment of fire department.

Section 7-302. - Hearing prior to dismissal of fire department head. Appeal.

Section 7-303. - “Municipality”, “work” and “duty” defined.

Section 7-304. - Participation of municipalities.

Section 7-305. - Work week.

Section 7-306. - Earnings.

Section 7-307. - Age requirement for veterans.

Section 7-308. - Liability of volunteer firefighter, volunteer ambulance member or volunteer fire police officer.

Section 7-309. - Liability for damage caused by motor vehicle used for fire fighting.

Section 7-310. - Operation of fire equipment in and provision of personnel and assistance to other municipality.

Section 7-310a. - Municipal and volunteer fire department fire apparatus inspection, maintenance and testing requirements.

Section 7-311. - Liability for delay in reporting fire or other emergency.

Section 7-312. - Liability as to use of water holes.

Section 7-313. - Fire police.

Section 7-313a. - Fire police.

Section 7-313b. - Authority of fire department officer to order removal of persons.

Section 7-313c. - Indemnification for educational expenses.

Section 7-313d. - Local fire department's authority to inspect state facilities.

Section 7-313e. - Authority of fire officer during emergency.

Section 7-313f. - Authority of fire chiefs at certain state facilities.

Section 7-313g. - “Firefighter” defined.

Section 7-313h. - Firefighters cancer relief account.

Section 7-313i. - Firefighters cancer relief subcommittee established. Determination and remittance of wage replacement benefits.

Section 7-313j. - Firefighters cancer relief program established.

Section 7-313k. - Annual report re firefighters cancer relief account and firefighters cancer relief program.

Section 7-313l. - Firefighter training on resilience and self-care techniques.

Section 7-313m. - Grants to distressed municipalities for volunteer firefighter training.

Section 7-313n. - (Note: This section is effective January 1, 2024.) Firefighters cancer relief account. Municipal contributions.

Section 7-313o. - Firefighter turnout gear. Maintenance and remediation of toxic substances.

Section 7-314. - Definitions. Exemption from Freedom of Information Act.

Section 7-314a. - Death, disability and injury benefits. Presumption.

Section 7-314b. - Collection of workers' compensation benefits by volunteer firefighters and members of volunteer ambulance services.

Section 7-314c. - Assumption of liability by the state for volunteer firefighters.

Section 7-315 to 7-322. - Death benefits; payments for injuries, for treatment of injuries and occupational disease and for total disability; insurance to provide payments; notice of claim; investigation of claim; benefits exempt from attachment.

Section 7-322a. - Benefits for volunteers rendering service to another fire company.

Section 7-322b. - Volunteers serving in municipality where employed. Fire and ambulance leaves. Enactment by municipality. List of participating members. Benefits.

Section 7-322c. - Employers prohibited from discharging or discriminating against employees who are volunteer firefighters or members of volunteer ambulance services due to volunteer service. Remedies.

Section 7-322d. - Election of officers. Ballots exempt from Freedom of Information Act.

Section 7-323. - Application of part.

Section 7-323a. - Definitions.

Section 7-323b. - Acceptance of part.

Section 7-323c. - Benefit fund established.

Section 7-323d. - Actuarial studies of fund experience.

Section 7-323e. - Benefits.

Section 7-323f. - Insurance policies to provide benefits authorized.

Section 7-323g. - Withdrawal of acceptance.

Section 7-323h. - Municipal liability for maintaining benefits.

Section 7-323i. - Administration of fund.

Section 7-323j. - Definitions.

Section 7-323k. - Commission on Fire Prevention and Control.

Section 7-323l. - Duties of Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. Regulations.

Section 7-323m. - Exceptions, voluntary cooperation.

Section 7-323n. - Office of State Fire Administration.

Section 7-323o. - State Fire Administrator, appointment and duties.

Section 7-323p. - State fire school. Training and education extension account. Auxiliary services account.

Section 7-323q. - Indemnification of fire service instructors.

Section 7-323r. - Supplemental grant award remittance program for volunteer fire companies providing services on limited access highways or on the Berlin Turnpike or a section of Route 8.

Section 7-323s. - Model guidelines re municipal emergency personnel. Municipal agreements re volunteer service of paid emergency personnel.

Section 7-323t. - Municipal contracts prohibiting paid emergency personnel from volunteer service.

Section 7-323u. - Regional fire school. Notice and hearing. Appeals. Regulations.

Section 7-323v. - Payments to volunteer fire companies for providing services on limited access highways or on sections of the Berlin Turnpike or Route 8.