BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 1454
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Date of Hearing: July 2, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
SB 1454 (Ted Gaines) - As Amended: May 27, 2014
Policy Committee: Water, Parks and
Wildlife Vote: 15-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW)
to install and use patrol vehicle mounted video and audio
systems in patrol vehicles used by DFW wardens. Specifically,
this bill:
1)Authorizes a DFW peace officer to use a mounted video and
audio system to record any communications or other actions
involving the office while in uniform and acting within the
scope of his or her authority.
2)Requires DFW to establish standards and policies regarding the
activation of patrol vehicle mounted video and audio systems
and the preservation and retention of recordings. Standards
and policies must include the following requirements:
a) If recording has been activated, the entire duration of
the encounter must be recorded.
b) Recordings must be retained for a minimum of 90 days and
a maximum of one year, except if the recording is necessary
for a pending or reasonably foreseeable civil or criminal
action, or for training or administrative purposes.
c) DFW shall provide access to a recording in accordance
with all other provisions of law.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Potential costs pressures in the low millions of dollars (GF
and special funds) to DFW for dashboard cameras and associated
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support equipment and staffing.
DFW is already authorized to purchase dashboard equipment;
this bill provides for its specific use. Although this bill
does not require the purchase of dashboard equipment, there
may be cost pressures for DFW to exercise this authority.
Costs of the equipment vary. DFW currently has 15 camera
systems ranging in costs from $100 for simple cameras up to
$5,100 for whole/video audio systems. The California Highway
Patrol uses a system that costs $3,300 per vehicle. To fully
outfit all wardens vehicles, DFW would require an additional
$1.3 to $2 million.
2)Minor, absorbable costs for DFW to adopt standards for the use
of dashboard equipment.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose. According to the author, DFW wardens typically
initiate between 120,000 to 230,000 law enforcement
contacts, issue between 7,000 to 18,000 citations, and
execute over 100 search warrants per year.
Although other law enforcement agencies have increasingly
installed dashboard mounted dashboard cameras in their
patrol vehicles, it is unclear whether California law
authorizes their use by wildlife officers employed by
DFW.
This bill extends the authority other law enforcement
officers have been granted to install dashboard cameras
and audio devices to DFW law enforcement officers.
2)Background. DFW employees designated by the Director as
deputized law enforcement officers are peace officers.
All DFW peace officers are required to complete course
requirements under the Commission on Peace Officer
Standards and Training.
A number of law enforcement agencies are exempted from the
prohibition on recording of confidential communications,
including any police officer of a city or county, any county
sheriff or deputy sheriff, any officer of the California
Highway Patrol (CHP), any district attorney, the Attorney
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General, or any person acting pursuant to the direction of one
of the exempted law enforcement officers acting within the
scope of his or her authority.
This bill extends that exemption to DFW peace officers.
Analysis Prepared by : Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081