Iowa has removed the annual bias prevention training requirement for law enforcement officers. The change, which took effect Wednesday, reverses part of a bipartisan police reform law enacted in 2020.

Background

The original law required officers to complete annual bias prevention training, which included instruction on diverse communities, implicit bias, and the history of the civil rights movement. However, supporters of the new law argued that the training requirement was an “emotional response” to the events of 2020 and that it was based on “junk science.”

Civil rights advocates, on the other hand, argue that the mandate served an important purpose in helping officers better understand the communities they serve and recognize disparities that can affect public trust.

Impact

The Iowa Law Enforcement Academy says the change will not immediately affect how it trains officers, as it updated its curriculum last year to comply with a separate law limiting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Local police chiefs and sheriffs remain free to require additional training beyond the state’s minimum standards.

The law also removes several affirmative action requirements affecting state government, schools, community colleges, Iowa’s public universities, and the judicial branch.

Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.