A proposal sponsored by Rep. Jeff Yaroch would promote positive relationships with law enforcement by including instruction about rights and responsibilities in high school civics classes.

The focus of House Bill 6183 is to prevent tense situations between police and residents from developing in the first place.

“As a society, we continue to talk about how we can improve interactions between law enforcement personnel and the people they serve,” said Yaroch, of Richmond. “Law enforcement officers have a duty to work to deescalate tense situations – and citizens have a duty to not escalate them. It’s a shared responsibility. That is why I sponsored this legislation, so we can discuss all sides of the issue.”

Yaroch noted that his legislative colleagues have introduced more than a dozen bills that deal with training law enforcement personnel to deescalate situations, but none have discussed our duty as citizens. Yaroch’s measure deals with educating community members about their rights and responsibilities when interacting with law enforcement.

The legislation would require that high school students be taught about the right to remain silent, the right to an attorney and the processes available for individuals who feel that they have been wrongfully detained or who feel that they have been improperly treated by law enforcement. Students would also be taught best practices for properly interacting with law enforcement including obeying the law, following the lawful direction of law enforcement, refraining from resisting arrest, and not reaching for an officer’s weapon.

This legislation is currently in the Michigan House Committee on Government Operations.

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