POST Monthly Report

february 2016

 

POST BUREAUS COLLABORATE TO DEVELOP ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CONTENT FOR FIELD TRAINING OFFICER COURSE

Law enforcement interaction and response to individuals with mental health issues has been at the forefront of public concern, both within California and nationwide.  As the demands on today's peace officers become more complex and challenging, the need for additional training has been recognized.

On October 03, 2015, Governor Brown signed into law Senate Bill 29 (Beall) which mandated additional mental health response training for law enforcement officers.  Senate Bill 29 added sections to the Penal Code, requiring POST to include four hours of instruction on how to interact with persons with mental illness to the existing 40-hour Field Training Officer (FTO) course.  To address the newly enacted hourly mandates, POST, in consultation with field training and mental health subject matter experts, determined the most effective course of action would be to modify existing scenario based content in the current FTO course to incorporate interactive training on mental health issues and focus learning and training skills on mental health content.  Basic Training Bureau is collaborating with the Learning Technology Bureau and Training Program Services Bureau, with participation by Senator Beall’s office and mental health subject matter experts, to develop and update existing scenario material in the FTO course with additional mental health content.

This endeavor adds value to the existing FTO course by ensuring the interactive training component not only meets the mandates of the new law by including scenario based instructor-led active learning, but is also contemporary and does not require removal of content in other critical areas of the course.  This additional training will help ensure California's Field Training and Police Training Officers are better prepared to train newly appointed peace officers to effectively address incidents involving persons with a mental illness or intellectual disability.  The FTO course will remain 40 hours.

Questions about mental health training in the Field Training Officer Course may be directed to Senior Consultant Phil Caporale, Basic Training Bureau, at (916) 227-3915.


TRAINING PROGRAM SERVICES BUREAU PARTICIPATES IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH EDUCATING CIVIC-MINDED INDIVIDUALS REGARDING USE OF FORCE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT

In February 2016, POST Training Program Services Bureau audited the Redding Police Departments’ public presentation of its “Forced Options Simulator (FOS)” course.  The class was conducted at the request of the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU), members of the Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender, Queer/Questioning community (LBGTQ), and a National Crime Prevention Council Neighborhood Watch representative.

The Redding Police Department recognized an opportunity to proactively reach out to the community in an effort to provide accurate information on the topic of police use of force.  This effort has been a unique opportunity for citizens to take the same Force Options class that California law enforcement personnel complete.  This four-hour block of instruction includes lecture and “hands-on” training using the department’s training simulator.  Participants assume the role of an officer responding to a call and handle the scenario to the best of their abilities utilizing the information presented in the lecture.  Each scenario is debriefed in the same manner law enforcement professionals are debriefed when they take the training.  The participants acknowledged having a wider depth of vision and breath of insight regarding the multiple factors contributing to an officer’s determination to engage in a use of force. 

Sergeant Casey Bokavich and Officer Brian Berg of the Redding Police Department are to be commended for their excellent co-facilitation of the class.  POST is working with Redding Police Department to make this community based training available for other agencies to present in their own jurisdictions.

Questions about the training may be directed to Senior Consultant Tamara Baarts, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-7357; or Senior Consultant Janna Munk, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-0473; or Senior Consultant Charles Evans, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 215-4432.


POST RELEASES BECOMING AN EXEMPLARY DISPATCHER

Similar to the two Becoming an Exemplary Peace Officer publications, POST has finalized and released Becoming an Exemplary Dispatcher.  From an overview of the job to looking beyond training, this 64-page document is another tool that educates and equips applicants, academy students, and public safety dispatchers with skills to assist them in making insightful decisions that result in long-term career success. 

This document is located on the POST Website Publication list and in the Dispatch Center on the POST Learning Portal. 

Questions about the document may be directed to Training Officer Rosanna McKinney, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3897.

 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE – STATUS OF CURRENT LEGISLATION

The following are bills in Legislative Session 2015-16.  Each bill would have an impact on POST operations, or be of significant interest to law enforcement partners.

Bill # and Author Title and Summary Status of Bill

AB 334
Assembly Member Cooley

Peace officers: training: profiling of motorcycle riders

This bill that would ensure that the profiling of motorcycle riders is addressed in the California POST Regular Basic Course (RBC – Academy), and offered to law enforcement officers during annual in-service training.  This proposed bill provided redundant training.  This bill would impose additional requirements and would impose a state-mandated local program is currently unfunded in the proposal.

Introduced Date: 02/13/15

Died:  In Assembly Appropriations on 02/01/16

AB 829
Assembly Member Nazarian
 

Gangs: shared gang databases

This bill that would require law enforcement to make notification and allow a parent to contest, the adding of a juvenile/adult to a shared gang database.  This bill would impose additional requirements and would impose a state-mandated local program is currently unfunded in the proposal.

Introduced Date: 02/26/15

Died:  In Assembly Judiciary on 02/01/16

AB 1663
Assembly Member Chiu

Firearms: assault weapons

This bill would amend Penal Code Sections 30515 and 30900, and add Section 30902, in substance, to expand the classification of assault weapons to include semiautomatic center fire rifles, which are capable to accepting detachable magazines.

Introduced Date: 01/14/16

Referred to Committee on Public Safety on 02/04/16

AB 1664
Assembly Members Levine and Ting
 

Firearms: assault weapons

This bill would amend Penal Code Sections 30515 and 30900, and add Section 30680, in essence, to define “detachable magazine” and expand the definition of assault weapons.

Introduced Date: 01/14/16

Referred to Committee on Public Safety on 02/18/16

AB 1680
Assembly Member Rodriguez
 

Crimes: emergency personnel

This bill would amend Section 402 of the Penal Code, to prohibit the operation or use of a drone or unmanned aerial vehicle at the scene of an emergency by non-emergency personnel.

Introduced Date: 01/19/16

Referred to Committee on Public Safety on 02/18/16

AB 1681
Assembly Member Cooper

Smartphones

This bill would add Section 22762 to the Business and Professions Code, relating to smartphones.  The Bill would require smartphone manufacturers to be capable of being decrypted and unlocked by the manufacturer.

 

Introduced Date: 01/20/16

Referred to Committee on Privacy on 02/08/16

AB 1718
Assembly Member
Kim
 

Elder Abuse

This bill would amend existing law that makes it a crime for a person who is not a caretaker to violate specified laws proscribing theft, embezzlement, fraud, or identity theft with respect to the property or identifying information of an elder or dependent adult.  Makes a violation of that provision punishable as a misdemeanor in county jail or as a felony in state prison.

Introduced Date: 01/27/16

Referred to Committee on Aging on 02/18/16

AB 1731
Assembly Member Atkins
 

Human trafficking: Statewide Interagency Human Trafficking Task Force

This bill would add Section 236.13 to the Penal Code, creating the Statewide Interagency Human Trafficking Task Force.  The Task Force would gather statewide data on sex and labor trafficking, sex buys, and human trafficking, and would recommend interagency protocols and best practices for training and outreach to law enforcement.

Introduced Date: 01/28/16

Referred to Committee on Public Safety on 02/18/16

AB 1940
Assembly Member
Cooper
 

Peace Officer: body-worn cameras: policies and procedures

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish policies and procedures to address issues related to peace officers’ use of body-worn cameras.

Introduced Date: 02/12/16

AB 2327
Assembly Member Cooley

Contacting or communicating with a minor

This bill would make it a crime to contact or communicate with a minor, or attempt to contact or communicate with a minor, as specified, with the intent to commit human trafficking of, or unlawful sexual intercourse with, the minor.

Introduced Date: 02/18/16

AB 2361
Assembly Member Santiago

Peace Officers: independent institutions of higher education

This bill would authorize an independent institution of higher education, as defined, to designate a person regularly employed as a security officer as a peace officer during the course of and within the scope of his or her employment, as specified, provided that the person successfully complete the course of training.

Introduced Date: 02/18/16

AB 2611
Assembly Member Low

The California Public Records Act: exemptions

This bill would amend Penal Code section 6254 (CPRA), to expand the exemption of disclosure to include investigatory or security audio or video recordings.  The bill would exempt from disclosure any audio or video recording depicting the death or serious bodily injury of a peace officer.

Introduced Date: 02/19/16

AB 2724
Assembly Member Gatto

Unmanned aircrafts: liability of first responders

This bill would state the intent of the Legislature is to enact legislation that would provide immunity for first responders who damage or destroy drones that interfere with emergency operations.

Introduced Date: 02/19/16

SB 690
Senator Stone

Stalking

This bill would amend Penal Code Section 646.9, to expand the definition of stalking to include willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly tracking a person with an electronic tracking device.

 

Introduced Date: 02/27/15

Referred to Committee on Rules on 02/22/16

SB 752
Senator Nielsen

Crimes

This bill would amend Penal Code Sections 146e, 148, and 244.5, to make convictions against defendants for malicious obstruction punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not to exceed one year; removing an officer’s firearm is a felony punishable by imprisonment in a state prison.

Introduced Date: 02/27/15

Died: In Senate Public Safety on 02/01/16

SB 823
Senator Block

Criminal procedure: human trafficking

This bill would amend Penal Code Section 1203.49, to create a presumption that if a defendant were committing ANY offense while he/she were a victim of human trafficking, the defendant is entitled to a presumption the requirements of relief have been met; (among other considerations) the guilty verdict will be set aside.

Introduced Date: 01/06/16

Referred to Committee on Public Safety on 01/28/16

SB 870
Senator Roth

Domestic violence

This bill would make non-substantive edits to Penal Code Section 273.5, relating to domestic violence.

Introduced Date: 01/12/16

Referred to Committee on Rules on 02/22/16

SB 876
Senator Liu

Homelessness

This bill would amend Civil Code 11135 and add Section 11139.2 to the Government Code, to expand the current provision to include exclusion or discrimination based upon homeless status.  The bill also proposes to afford person to “the right to rest in public spaces…”  In addition, there is language to authorize civil action relief of damages up to $1,000.00 per violation. 

 

Introduced Date: 01/14/16

2nd Reading
Referred to Committee on Transportation & Housing

SB 880
Senator Hall

Firearms: assault weapons

This bill would amend Penal Code Sections 30515 and 30900, to revise the definition of “assault weapon” to mean semiautomatic center-fire rifle, or a semiautomatic pistol that does not have a fixed magazine.

Introduced Date: 01/15/16

Referred to Committee on Public Safety on 01/28/16

SB 894
Senator Jackson

Firearms: lost or stolen: reports

This bill would require every person who owns a firearm to report the theft or loss to local law enforcement within five days.

Introduced Date: 01/21/16

Referred to Committee on Public Safety on 02/04/16

SB 1200
Senator Jackson

Peace Officer Standards and Training: domestic violence: animal cruelty

This bill would require the course of basic training for law enforcement officers on domestic violence to include adequate instruction on the seriousness of animal cruelty and its link to violence against humans.

 

Introduced Date: 02/18/16

SB 1221
Senator Hertzberg

Firefighters: interaction with mentally disabled persons

This bill would authorize POST to make the Regular Basic Course (policy academy) available to firefighters and fire departments.

Introduced Date: 02/18/16

SB 1286
Senator Leno

Peace officers: records of misconduct

This bill would amend the Evidence, Government, and Penal Codes to authorize a municipality or local public agency that employs peace officers or custodial officers to hear and adjudicate administrative appeals in hearings open to the public.  Some or all of the documents would be available for public inspection.

Introduced Date: 02/19/16

SB 1337
Senator Morrell

Peace officers: fire departments

This bill would amend Penal Code Sections 803.37 and 30625, to provide that members of a fire department or fire protection agency who are designated by their employing agency with a responsibility for investigating or preventing terrorism are peace officers and may carry firearms if authorized and under terms and conditions specified by their employing agency.  The bill would also authorize fire departments and fire protection agencies to buy assault weapons or .50 BMG rifles.

Introduced Date: 02/19/16

SB 1462
Senator Huff

Vehicles: driving under the influence: drug testing

This bill would amend Vehicle Code Section 23612, would authorize an officer to use a preliminary oral fluid screening test to establish reasonable cause to believe the person was driving a vehicle in violation of certain prohibitions against driving under the influence of drugs.

Introduced Date: 02/19/16

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 The POST Monthly Report is a monthly status report that informs POST Commissioners and the California law enforcement community of recent progress on POST projects and instructional programs under development, and other information of importance to our mission to continually enhance the professionalism of California law enforcement.

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