BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    AB 1289


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          Date of Hearing:   April 29, 2015


                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS


                                 Jimmy Gomez, Chair


          AB  
          1289 (Cooper) - As Amended April 16, 2015


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          Urgency:  No  State Mandated Local Program:  NoReimbursable:  No


          SUMMARY:


          This bill requires the Commission of Peace Officer Standards and  
          Training (POST) to conduct a study on community policing and  
          engagement programs, and report its finding to the Legislature  
          by December 31, 2017.








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          FISCAL EFFECT:


          One-time minor costs to POST in the range of $50,000 (GF) to  
          conduct the required study.


          COMMENTS:


          1)Purpose.  According to the author, "AB 1289 helps California  
            take stock of community policing efforts, programs, policies  
            and best practices statewide in order to reevaluate, recommit,  
            and renew a focus on sustaining and enhancing trusting  
            community-police relationships with all segments of the  
            community."


          2)Background.  POST was created by the legislature in 1959 to  
            set minimum selection and training standards for California  
            law enforcement.  Their mandate includes establishing minimum  
            standards for training of peace officers in California.  As of  
            1989, all peace officers in California are required to  
            complete an introductory course of training prescribed by  
            POST, and demonstrate completion of that course by passing an  
            examination.  POST is also tasked with developing and  
            implementing programs to increase the effectiveness of law  
            enforcement.  


            Community policing is generally defined as involving three key  
            components:  a) developing community partnerships, b) engaging  
            in problem solving, and c) implementing community policing  
            organizational features.  A recent report from the United  
            States Conference of Mayors notes, "Recent events have  
            demonstrated that, despite instituting community policing in  
            many departments and realizing substantial reductions in the  








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            crime rate in many cities, mistrust between the police and the  
            communities they serve and protect continues to be a challenge  
            that must be addressed."  


          3)Argument in Support.  According to the Fraternal Order of  
            Police, California State Lodge, "The purpose of collecting and  
            analyzing this information is to ultimately improve community  
            outreach programs.  These programs are critical in ensuring  
            that the community and local law enforcement agencies work in  
            partnership to improve public safety.

          "The studies to be conducted pursuant to AB 1289 will provide  
            much needed data for the legislature to consider in their  
            future deliberations regarding the maintenance, funding and  
            establishment of such programs. Better information will  
            hopefully result in better programs."

          4)Related Legislation:  AB 1227 (Cooper), also on today's  
            committee agenda, requires that POST study and submit a report  
            to the Legislature assessing the status of training courses on  
            peace officer interactions with mentally ill or  
            developmentally disabled persons.    





          Analysis Prepared by:Pedro R. Reyes / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081

















                                                                    AB 1289


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