A new bill in the state Senate would require a portion of drivers training be dedicated to teaching new drivers how to interact with police.
Lawmakers behind the measure say drivers need instruction to keep routine traffic stops from turning dangerous.
Democratic State Senator Vincent Gregory is a bill sponsor. He said it’s important to standardize police interactions.
“Police officers are concerned when they approach a car as are civilians as are the folks that are driving the car. One way to move that forward is to have some uniformity in what to expect when you approach a car.
He said this is something that should have been made a part of drivers ed a long time ago.
“We don’t want something that would happen that could be prevented just my mere knowledge of ‘this is what I should do when the police officer is approaching the car.’ This hopefully will alleviate some of the anxiety.”
Gregory also said the training is an outgrowth of a conversation he had with his own kids.
“As a minority, when my kids were growing up I was able to tell them what to expect from a police officer and what things you should do when you’re stopped.”
He said the bill would also require officers to give information to drivers.
“Under this bill we would ask that police officers issue the driver an identification card with their name and their supervisors on it. They also would have a buy in to the stop which may help de escalate the hostility there.”
The bill is co-sponsored by Republican State Senator Marty Knollenberg and Republican State Senator Margaret O’Brien.