BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2489
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Date of Hearing: April 4, 2000
Counsel: Angelo Butler
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY
Carl Washington, Chair
AB 2489 (Romero) - As Introduced: February 24, 2000
SUMMARY : Appropriates $4 million for allocation to the Los
Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) to expand and augment
existing Family Violence Emergency Response Teams. Specifically,
this bill :
1)States legislative findings that in 1997, the LASD developed
an emergency response team to reduce the escalating problem of
family violence.
2)Appropriates $4 million from the General Fund for allocation
to the LASD to expand the Family Violence Emergency Response
Teams to operate on a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week basis.
3)Requires that in order for the LASD to qualify for funding,
the LASD shall agree that program participants be trained for
a minimum of 40 hours in a domestic violence course approved
by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides that every law enforcement agency in California shall
develop, adopt, and implement written policies and standards
for officers' responses to domestic violence calls. (Penal
Code Section 13701(a).)
2)States that the Legislature finds the problem of family
violence to be of serious and increasing magnitude and often
results in other crimes and social problems. (Penal Code
Section 13823.4(a).)
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
1)Author's Statement : According to the author, "Domestic
AB 2489
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violence continues to be a serious problem in our communities.
AB 2489 would enable the Los Angeles County Sheriff's
Department to expand a program that would significantly assist
in interrupting the cycle of Family Violence. Every year in
the United States there are over 3 million incidents of
domestic violence. Every year, over 4,000 victims of domestic
violence are killed."
2)Background : In 1997, the LASD developed an emergency response
team pilot program called "Safety Through Our Perseverance" in
an effort to curb the escalating problem of family violence.
The "STOP" Intervention Team was designed to strengthen the
quality of community policing services to families in crisis
by providing them with immediate intervention, resource
referral services, victim assistance, threat assessment and
safety planning. The teams are comprised of a specially
trained deputy sheriff and a local shelter advocate, and
respond to incidents of family violence after the handling
(first responder) arrives at the call and as requested by
patrol deputies. The STOP Team is the most comprehensive
victim oriented community policing project in the state.
The LASD has funded this project for 3 of their 19 stations and
the unit has been extremely successful. This year, they are
planning to expand this unit to three additional stations.
However, to expand this service to all of the communities they
serve (and provide policing services for almost three million
people), they would need $4 million to provide a full team of
specialists, 7 days per week at all 19 stations.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Child, Youth and Family Coalition
California Peace Officers' Association
California Police Chiefs Association
Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, Inc.
spcaLA
Opposition
None on File
Analysis Prepared by : Angelo Butler / PUB. S. / (916)
AB 2489
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