The Brownsville City Commission will hold its regular commission meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday where the commission is expected to vote on two resolutions pertaining to the Brownsville Police Department.
The first resolution calls for the establishment of a mental health leave policy for police officers. The second resolution calls for the city manager to establish a paid quarantine leave policy for the city’s firefighters, police officers, detention officers and emergency medical technicians.
The meeting will be held at the Brownsville Public Library Main Branch Meeting Room, at 2600 Central Blvd. The meeting may also be viewed via the Webex Teleconference Meeting.
Background information for the resolution pertaining to the mental health leave policy, states the Texas Senate recently passed Senate Bill 1359 that requires a mental health leave policy for peace officers. It states the statute now requires law enforcement to develop a mental health policy and requires the use of such leave in work-related situation.
The resolution states there should be clear and objective guidelines established under which a police officer is granted mental health leave and may use mental health leave.
The mental health leave will entitle a peace officer to mental health leave without a deduction in salary or any other compensation, establishes the number of mental health leave days an officer can have and details the level of anonymity for an officer who takes mental health leave.
Background information for the resolution pertaining to the establishment of paid quarantine leave states the Texas House of Representatives recently passed House Bill 2073 that requires quarantine leave policy for firefighters, police officers, detention officers and emergency medical technicians. The new statute provides a “consistent standard” for how counties, cities, and other political subdivisions should deal with emergency personnel ordered to quarantine due to on-duty exposure to COVID-19 or other contagious diseases and “would prevent first responders from being forced to bear cost incurred while doing their jobs under circumstances outside their control,” according to the resolution.
The paid quarantine leave must include all employment benefits and compensation, reimbursement for reasonable costs related to the quarantine, including lodging, medical and transportation and the leave be required by the individual’s supervisor.
The resolution also states the city may not reduce firefighters, police officers, detention officers or EMT’s sick leave balance, vacation leave balance, holiday leave balance or other paid leave balance in connection with paid quarantine leave taken in accordance with the policy.
