Montana State Legislature
HB 697: Interim Study of the Staffing, Structure, and Duties of the Public Safety Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council
HB 697: Interim Study of the Staffing, Structure, and Duties of the Public Safety Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council
HB 697 revises laws related to the Public Safety Officers Standards and Training (POST) council. The bill requires the council to report on pending investigations to the LJIC, and requires LJIC to conduct an interim study.
Study tasks listed in the bill include:
- Examine the legislative history of the council’s structure, staffing, and duties;
- Review the current structure, staffing, and duties of the council;
- Compare the council’s structure and administrative attachment to that of other states;
- Provide recommendations to the 69th Legislature for how the council should be structured and staffed
July 2023:
The committee selected a moderate level of study of the POST Council to satisfy the requirements of HB 697.
July meeting materials:
September 2023:
The committee reviewed a background paper on the POST Council's history and structure within state government, POST Council staff and board members conducted a panel presentation, and legislative staff provided a high-level summary of the structures of POST organizations and legislative trends in other states. During the work session, the committee voted to revise its work plan and decrease the level of study from moderate to low for this topic.
September meeting materials:
- POST Legislative Timeline
- POST 5-Session Summary
- Complaint Process Handout
- International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) Fact Sheet
November 2023:
The committee received an update from POST Council staff and recommendations from stakeholders. The Department of Justice also provided a presentation on the Montana Law Enforcement Academy, a separate entity from the POST Council that provides various levels of training for law enforcement officers in Montana.
November meeting materials:
Additional Resources:
- POST authorizing statutes - NCSL, September 2023
- POST state-by-state structure - NCSL, September 2023
- Democratizing Police Oversight brief - NCSL, July 2023
- Developments in Law Enforcement Officer Certification and Decertification - NCSL, February 2023
- Law Enforcement Certification and Discipline - NCSL, August 2020
