text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Preventing Tragedies Between Police 
  and Communities Act of 2016''.
  
  SEC. 2. TRAINING ON DE-ESCALATION FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
  
      (a) Training Requirement.--For each fiscal year after the 
  expiration of the period specified in subsection (d) in which a State 
  or unit of local government receives a grant under part E of title I of 
  the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3750 
  et seq.), the State or unit of local government shall require that all 
  individuals enrolled in an academy of a law enforcement agency of the 
  State or unit of local government and all law enforcement officers of 
  the State or unit of local government fulfill a training session on de-
  escalation techniques each fiscal year, including--
              (1) the use of alternative non-lethal methods of applying 
          force and techniques that prevent the officer from escalating 
          any situation where force is likely to be used;
              (2) verbal and physical tactics to minimize the need for 
          the use of force, with an emphasis on communication, 
          negotiation, de-escalation techniques, providing the time 
          needed to resolve the incident safely for everyone;
              (3) the use of the lowest level of force that is a possible 
          and safe response to an identified threat, then re-evaluating 
          the threat as it progresses;
              (4) techniques that provide all officers with awareness and 
          recognition of mental health and substance abuse issues with an 
          emphasis on communication strategies, training officers 
          simultaneously in teams on de-escalation and use of force to 
          improve group dynamics and diminish excessive use of force 
          during critical incidents;
              (5) principles of using distance, cover, and time when 
          approaching and managing critical incidents, and elimination of 
          the use of concepts like the ``21-foot rule'' and ``drawing a 
          line in the sand'' in favor of using distance and cover to 
          create a ``reaction gap'';
              (6) crisis intervention strategies to appropriately 
          identify and respond to individuals suffering from mental 
          health or substance abuse issues, with an emphasis on de-
          escalation tactics and promoting effective communication; and
              (7) other evidence-based approaches, found to be 
          appropriate by the Attorney General, that enhance de-escalation 
          skills and tactics, such as the Critical Decision-Making Model 
          and scenario based trainings.
  In the case of individuals attending an academy, such training session 
  shall be for such an appropriate amount of time as to ensure academy 
  participants receive effective training under this subsection and in 
  the case of all other law enforcement officers, the training session 
  shall be for an appropriate amount of time as to ensure officers 
  receive effective training under this subsection. The State or unit of 
  local government shall certify to the Attorney General of the United 
  States that such training sessions have been completed.
      (b) Scenario-Based Training.--Training described in subsection (a) 
  shall be conducted with an emphasis on training that employs theories 
  of de-escalation techniques and applies them to practical on-the-job 
  scenarios that regularly face law enforcement officers.
      (c) Cross-Training.--To the extent practicable, principles of 
  training as described in subsection (a) shall be applied to other 
  training conducted at the academy.
      (d) Compliance and Ineligibility.--
              (1) Compliance date.--Beginning not later than 1 year after 
          the date of this Act, each State or unit of local government 
          receiving a grant shall comply with subsection (a), except that 
          the Attorney General may grant an additional 6 months to a 
          State or unit of local government that is making good faith 
          efforts to comply with such subsection.
              (2) Ineligibility for funds.--For any fiscal year after the 
          expiration of the period specified in paragraph (1), a State or 
          unit of local government that fails to comply with subsection 
          (a), shall, at the discretion of the Attorney General, be 
          subject to not more than a 20-percent reduction of the funds 
          that would otherwise be allocated for that fiscal year to the 
          State or unit of local government under subpart 1 of part E of 
          title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 
          1968 (42 U.S.C. 3750 et seq.), whether characterized as the 
          Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement 
          Assistance Programs, the Local Government Law Enforcement Block 
          Grants Program, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance 
          Grant Program, or otherwise.
      (e) Reallocation.--Amounts not allocated under a program referred 
  to in subsection (b)(2) to a State or unit of local government for 
  failure to fully comply with subsection (a) shall be reallocated under 
  that program to States and units of local government that have not 
  failed to comply with such subsection.
      (f) Evidence-Based Practices.--For purposes of subsection (a)(4), 
  the Attorney General shall maintain a list of evidence-based practices 
  it determines is successful in enhancing de-escalation skills of law 
  enforcement officers. The Attorney General shall regularly update this 
  list as needed and shall publish the list to the public on a yearly 
  basis.
  
  SEC. 3. DATA COLLECTION.
  
      The Attorney General shall collect data on efforts undertaken by 
  Federal fund recipients to enhance de-escalation training for law 
  enforcement officers.
  
  SEC. 4. AFFIRMATIVE DUTY TO USE DE-ESCALATION TACTICS WHEN AVAILABLE.
  
      (a) In General.--In the case of a State or unit of local government 
  that received a grant award under subpart 1 of part E of title I of the 
  Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3750 et 
  seq.), if that State or unit of local government fails by the end of a 
  fiscal year to enact or have in effect laws, policies, or procedures 
  that sets forth an affirmative duty on a law enforcement officer of 
  that State or unit of local government, whenever possible, to employ 
  de-escalation techniques in which the officer has received training 
  required under section 2(a), the Attorney General shall reduce the 
  amount that would otherwise be awarded to that State or unit of local 
  government under such grant program in the following fiscal year by 15 
  percent.
      (b) Reallocation.--Amounts not allocated under a program referred 
  to in subsection (a) to a State or unit of local government for failure 
  to be in compliance with this section shall be reallocated under that 
  program to States and units of local government that are in compliance 
  with this section.
  
  SEC. 5. ATTORNEY GENERAL GUIDANCE.
  
      Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
  the Attorney General shall issue guidance, for the benefit of States 
  and units of local government, on compliance with the requirements of 
  this Act.
target: Preventing Tragedies Between Police and Communities Act of 2016 This bill requires a state or local government that receives funding under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program to train law enforcement officers on de-escalation techniques. The Department of Justice (DOJ) may reduce by up to 20% the JAG allocation of a state or local government that fails to comply. DOJ must collect data on the efforts of state and local governments to enhance de-escalation training for law enforcement officers.  Additionally, a state or local government that receives JAG program funding must enact a law, policy, or procedure that establishes an affirmative duty on a law enforcement officer to use de-escalation techniques. DOJ must reduce by 15% the JAG allocation of a state or local government that fails to enact such law, policy, or procedure.  DOJ must issue guidance on compliance with these requirements. 
feat_title: Preventing Tragedies Between Police and Communities Act of 2016