Gov. Edwards in Support of Bill to Revoke POST Certification for Law Enforcement Officers Terminated for Unauthorized Use of Force

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Gov. John Bel Edwards has vocalized his support for Senate Bill 182 by Senator Cleo Fields today. The bill expands the definition of malfeasance in office to include intentional deprivation of constitutional rights and provides for revocation of POST certification in cases where officers are found to have deprived individuals of their constitutional rights or when officers have been terminated for unauthorized use of force. This bill is scheduled to be heard today in Senate Committee on Judiciary B.

The present law sets forth behavior by public officers and employees that is considered malfeasance in office. If passed,  SB182 adds intentionally depriving another of any right protected under the Constitution of Louisiana while acting under color of law to the list of conduct that is malfeasance in office. Currently, present law provides for the mandatory removal of P.O.S.T. certification of any full-time, part-time, or reserve peace officer upon a conviction of malfeasance in office or conviction of an offense which results in the restriction of the officer’s constitutional right to bear arms. The proposed law retains present law mandatory P.O.S.T. certification revocation provisions and adds two additional mandatory revocation provisions:

  1. A criminal adjudication against the officer for willfully depriving or conspiring to deprive another person of any right protected by the constitution or laws of the United States while acting under color of law.
  2. The officer has been terminated by his employing law enforcement agency, or allowed to retire or resign, as a result of disciplinary action taken against the officer for any conduct during the course and scope of employment that would constitute an unauthorized use of force and the officer has exhausted all administrative remedies.

Also, present law allows the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training to conduct a revocation hearing to determine if the officer’s P.O.S.T. certification should be revoked under certain circumstances including when the officer has been involuntarily terminated by his employing law
enforcement agency for disciplinary reasons involving an adjudication of civil rights violations. The proposed law removes the officer’s involuntary termination by his employing law enforcement agency for disciplinary reasons involving an adjudication of civil rights violations from the list of
revocation offenses over which the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training has discretion.


“While I believe the overwhelming majority of our law enforcement officers are professionals and excellent public servants who work hard every day to protect and serve, it is imperative that we do more to hold the few officers who violate the public’s trust accountable. Officers who have been terminated for unauthorized use of force do not meet the professional standards for law enforcement officers and should not retain POST certification,” Gov. John Bel Edwards said. “I am appreciative of Senator Fields for bringing this legislation and for working to bring additional accountability to law enforcement in Louisiana.”

Click here to read the full bill