Rhode Island House of Representatives advances bills to amend LEOBOR

The Rhode Island House of Representatives on May 9, 2024, voted 58-14 with bipartisan support to pass two bills aimed at amending the state’s Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights (LEOBOR).

LEOBORs are a set of legal provisions that establish the due process rights of police officers during internal misconduct investigations. LEOBORs are enacted as state-level laws and extend certain protections to law enforcement officers working in the state. Some states grant rights to officers through LEOBORs that “are supplementary to rights granted by collective bargaining agreements,” according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The Rhode Island bills, sponsored by Representative Raymond Hull (D) and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio (D), propose amendments to the structure and appointment of members of the LEOBOR hearing panel by adding two additional members, increasing the panel to the following five members: three police officers selected by the state’s Police Officers Commission on Standards and Training (POST), a retired judge, and an attorney appointed by the state Supreme Court’s committee on racial and ethnic fairness. The bills also propose allowing police chiefs to make public statements regarding investigations of misconduct before a LEOBOR hearing has been held. Further provisions of the bills aim to allow officers accused of misconduct to be suspended for longer periods.

Bradford Connor, Warwick Police Chief and president of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, expressed support for the bills, stating, “We welcome increased transparency because it will help us gain trust with the communities we serve. We are grateful to our legislative leaders for making meaningful and needed changes to the law,” according to ABC6.com.

Some lawmakers argued that the bills would not do enough to hold officers accountable. State Representative David Morales (D) argued, “Within this bill we are still allowing for those special privileges that an officer can exercise in regards to avoiding accountability,” according to The Rhode Island Current.

The bills moved to the Senate on May 9 for consideration.

Additional reading:

Police collective bargaining agreements (CBAs)