BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 546
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 15, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
AB
546 (Gonzalez) - As Introduced February 23, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
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
AB 546
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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
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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.
Analysis Prepared by:Pedro Reyes / APPR. / (916)
319-2081