(A) The Ohio peace officer training commission shall develop and conduct a chief of police training course lasting forty hours for newly appointed chiefs of police appointed on or after January 1, 2018. The commission shall determine the course topics, which shall include diversity training with an emphasis on historical perspectives and community-police relations, and shall establish criteria for what constitutes successful completion of the course. The commission shall conduct the course at the Ohio peace officer training academy and shall offer the course at least semiannually.

(B) A newly appointed chief of police may request an equivalency exemption from a portion of the forty hours of the chief of police training course by submitting to the Ohio peace officer training commission, not more than ten calendar days following the person's appointment as a chief of police, evidence of training or qualification in the subject area of the exempted portion.

(C) Upon presentation of evidence by a newly appointed chief of police that because of a medical disability or other good cause the newly appointed chief of police is unable to complete the chief of police training course, the Ohio peace officer training commission may defer the requirement for the newly appointed chief of police to complete the chief of police training course until the disability or cause terminates.

(D) A newly appointed chief of police appointed on or after January 1, 2018, shall attend a chief of police training course conducted by the Ohio peace officer training commission pursuant to division (A) of this section not later than six months after the person's appointment as a chief of police. While attending the chief of police training course, a newly appointed chief of police shall receive compensation in the same manner and amounts as if carrying out the powers and duties of the office of chief of police. The costs of conducting the chief of police training course shall be paid from state funds appropriated to the attorney general. The cost of meals, lodging, and travel of a newly appointed chief of police attending the chief of police training course shall be paid from the budget of the entity for which the newly appointed chief of police was appointed.

(E) As used in this section:

"Newly appointed chief of police" means a person appointed chief of police under section 505.49, 737.05, or 737.15 of the Revised Code or any administrative official that is responsible for the daily administration and supervision of peace officers in a law enforcement agency who did not hold the office of chief of police on the date the person was appointed chief of police.

" Law enforcement agency" means a municipal or township police department, or any other entity authorized by statute to appoint peace officers to enforce criminal laws and who have the statutory power of arrest. "Law enforcement agency" does not include a county sheriff's office, the state highway patrol, or the bureau of criminal identification and investigation.

Added by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 37, §1, eff. 12/27/2017.