Sandra Bland Act signed into law to address mental health of prisoners
Gov. Greg Abbott has signed into law the Sandra Bland Act which, among several provisions, requires more training for jailers on mental health issues of prisoners.
“It is time that we make progress in criminal justice reform that will keep both law enforcement and the public safe and prevent future tragedies like Sandra Bland’s,” said state Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, who authored the House version of the law. “The Sandra Bland Act will act as a building block to build upon in the future.
In 2015, Bland was found hanged in a Waller County Jail cell three days after a routine traffic stop escalated into a confrontation with a Department of Public Safety trooper and led to her arrest.
Under Senate Bill 1849, law enforcement will have to complete training in de-escalating confrontations with members of the public, “including techniques for limiting the use of force resulting in bodily injury.”
Read more: http://www.statesman.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/sandra-bland-act-signed-into-law-address-mental-health-prisoners/dvW4QnCA1Q07D9PkxnyJ3K/
