Senate Bill No. 626

Introduced by Senator McGuire

(Principal coauthor: Senator Wolk)

(Coauthor: Assembly Member Dodd)

February 27, 2015

An act to add Section 105033 to the Public Utilities Code, relating to transit districts.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 626, as introduced, McGuire. Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District: police force.

Existing law creates the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District, within the Counties of Sonoma and Marin, governed by a 12-member board of directors. Existing law requires the district to work with specified authorities to achieve a safe, efficient, and compatible system of passenger and freight rail service and authorizes the district to own, operate, manage, and maintain a passenger rail system within the territory of the district. Existing law requires the board to appoint a general manager for the district and authorizes the general manager to, among other things, appoint, supervise, suspend, or remove district officers, other than members of the board and officers appointed by the board.

This bill would authorize the board to establish the position of chief of police, subject to specified requirements. If the board determines that more officers are needed, the bill would authorize the board to contract with the County of Marin or the County of Sonoma, or both, for those law enforcement services. The bill would require the chief of police to comply with the standards for recruitment and training of peace officers established by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. The bill would require the board to equip every contract officer with an on-body camera or similar video body camera technology while that officer is on active duty in the district.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Section 105033 is added to the Public Utilities
Code, to read:

105033.  

(a) The board is authorized to establish the position
of chief of police. The chief of police shall be a duly sworn peace
officer appointed by the board and subject to Section 830.33 of
the Penal Code. If the board determines that more than one officer
is needed, the board may contract for those law enforcement
services with either the County of Marin or the County of Sonoma,
or both.

(b) The chief of police shall comply with the standards for
recruitment and training of peace officers established by the
Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training pursuant to
Title 4 (commencing with Section 13500) of Part 4 of the Penal
Code.

(c) The board shall equip every contract officer with an on-body
camera or similar video body camera technology while that officer
is on active duty for the district.