Agenda

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C. 29

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Date:	May 5, 2015

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

AB 546 (Gonzalez) Peace Officers: Basic Training Requirements

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 05/05/2015

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor

ABSENT:

Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Lara DeLaney, (925) 335-1097

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: May 5, 2015
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ADOPT a "Support" position on AB 546 (Gonzalez), as introduced: Peace Officers: Basic Training Requirements, a bill that authorizes a probation department to apply to either the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training or the Board of State and Community Corrections to become a certified provider of that training course for the purpose of training probation officers.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Minor absorbable General Fund costs to the Board of State Community Corrections to review and approve the provider certification requests.

BACKGROUND:

At its April 2, 2015 meeting, the Legislation Committee considered the recommendation from the County Probation Officer to recommend a position of "Support" to the Board of Supervisors on AB 546.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

CURRENT STATUS: 04/16/2015 In ASSEMBLY. Read second time. To Consent Calendar.

SUMMARY: This bill provides that a probation department may apply to either the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) or the Board of State Community Corrections (BSCC) to become a certified provider of specified training courses for becoming peace officers under California law.

FISCAL EFFECT: Minor absorbable GF costs to BSCC to review and approve the provider certification requests.

COMMENTS:
1) Background. Under current law, every peace officer is required to satisfactorily complete an introductory training course prescribed by the POST, commonly referred to as the PC 832 training. The BSSC currently provides training for probation departments through their Standards and Training for Corrections (STC) program. Under current law, the BSCC provides all of the training probation departments receive other than the PC 832 training that must be completed through a POST certified program.

2) Purpose. According to the proponents of the bill, there is a significant waiting list for probation department officers to receive the basic "PC 832" training due to a lack of vacancies in existing classes which are offered by other agencies. By permitting BSCC to certify courses for probation departments, probation officers would no longer have such significant waiting times in order to be properly trained pursuant to the requirements of Penal Code section 832.

3) Arguments in Support. According to The Chief Probation Officers of California, "Under existing law, probation officers are required to complete a course of training certified by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) prior to being sworn in as a peace officer." "In order for a department to offer a PC 832 course, the courts and trainer must be certified by POST. This course is the only training that probation departments must obtain through POST. The rest of the probation training is done through the Board of State and Community Corrections' (BSCC) Standards and Training for Corrections (STC) program."

4) Prior Legislation: AB 1860 (V. Manual Perez), Chapter 87, Statutes of 2014, provided that a probation department that is a certified provider of a specified peace officer introductory training course on arrests and firearms prescribed by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) is not required to offer the course to the general public.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Contra Costa County would not have a position on the bill.