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POST Monthly Report

February 2021

Keeping you up to date on POST projects

POST Hosts the First Instructor Standards Advisory Council Meeting

On February 1, 2021, members of the POST Instructor Standards Advisory Council (ISAC) held its first web meeting, after a 5-year hiatus. ISAC is comprised of members with strong instructional backgrounds from different law enforcement agencies and POST. The first meeting consisted of introductions, history of ISAC, and the election of Lieutenant Wayne Windman of the Redondo Police Department as Chair and Sergeant Daniel Chui of the San Francisco Police Department as Co-Chair of ISAC. The goal of ISAC is to maintain the highest standards of training delivery through POST instruction, which will be done by visiting portions of Instructor Development Institute (IDI) to ensure relevancy and best practices through collaboration.

Questions regarding this article may be directed to Law Enforcement Consultant William Baldwin, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-4263.

New “Did You Know?” Video Focuses on Gun Violence Restraining Orders

POST has released a new video from the Did You Know? series that focuses on officer awareness of Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVRO). The video is available to view or download on the POST Learning Portal.

This newest video in the Did You Know? series encourages officers to look beyond first impressions, using what appears to be a routine domestic disturbance to dramatically illustrate that a hidden threat involving firearms may be present—and that a GVRO should be obtained. The program teaches that threats do not have to be criminally provable and that a non-specific threat to kill—and either access to guns or the ability to purchase one—may be enough to secure a GVRO. The Did You Know? video series features short vignettes that inform and remind officers to always be vigilant in the delivery of exceptional police services while ensuring safety for themselves, their peers, and the citizens they serve. These dynamic and engaging videos are perfect for roll call and other briefing or training settings.

POST offers other GVRO training resources at the GVRO Update Center on the POST Learning Portal. Agencies may use the GVRO Update Center to learn the basics of the GVRO, details on the types of GVRO, legislative updates, required forms, shared resources, and other training opportunities from POST.

Questions about the Did You Know? GVRO video may be directed to Nick Muyo, Learning Technology Resources Bureau, at (916) 227-3454.

Updates to the Certification and Presentation Processes for Basic Courses

Effective April 1, 2021, basic course presenters will utilize an updated process for certification and presentation of the basic courses (Regular Basic Course, Modular Format Courses, Specialized Investigators’ Basic Course, Requalification Course, PC 832 Arrest and PC 832 Firearms).

Changes to these processes include:

  • Submission of an attestation form signed by the Director or Coordinator.
  • Submission of an expanded course outline for any presenter-specific content added to the course.
  • Submission of a breakdown of key staff positions.
  • Submission of the final schedule or similar document indicating how the course was presented, along with the course roster.

As part of the updates to the basic courses certification process, the existing requirements were removed from Commission Regulation 1052(f), revised as needed and adopted within Commission Regulation 1059. 

Questions regarding this article may be directed to Staff Services Manager Jennifer Hardesty, Basic Training Bureau, at (916) 227-3917.

Kickoff of Annual Cybersecurity Audit of POST’s Information Systems 

On February 17, 2021, POST technology staff held the kickoff meeting for its annual information security audit. Audits related to POST systems and data handling practices occur once per year, and alternate between cyber-intrusion testing and policy-and-procedure implementation and compliance. 

This audit, in partnership with the California Military Department, includes comprehensive penetration tests from internal and external sources, simulated cyber-attacks against POST systems, analysis of existing security controls, and evaluation of staff’s ability to resist human-factors attack techniques intended to gain access to passwords and systems.    

This regular audit helps to assess POST’s overall cybersecurity state to ensure ongoing resilience and secure functionality of agency systems. This audit will run through the end of April 2021. For more information, please contact POST CIO Colin O’Keefe at (916) 227-4804

POST FTO Update Webinar Course

The Training Delivery and Compliance (TDC) Bureau has completed the initial course certification review of the POST Field Training Officer Update course in a first of its kind webinar format. POST’s field stakeholders identified the development of this unique webinar-based training course as an urgent need due to the challenges presented by the COVID Pandemic. The webinar variable was a collaborative effort between TDC and the Basic Training Bureau.  POST presenters with a demonstrated ability to design and deliver high-value, standardized training, were responsible for the development of this course. All content for the webinar is based on the standardized core topics of the Field Training Program.

This course is now available in the POST Course Catalog. Questions regarding the Field Training Officer Update Webinar and requests for course certification may be directed to your POST Regional Consultant.

Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute (SBSLI) Open Enrollment until March 30, 2021

SBSLI is a leadership development course specifically designed for sergeants and dispatch supervisors. It provides a dynamic environment of facilitated learning where sergeants and dispatch supervisors from across the State of California come together to explore the challenges they face as line level leaders. Highlights of the program include a visit from the Museum of Tolerance to meet survivors of the Holocaust, and a project designed to navigate successful organizational change. Many graduates of SBSLI have found the experience to be profound, reaching new levels in their ability to lead and forming lifetime friendships. The course consists of 3 days a month for 8 months, culminating with a final project, and graduation with their peers, agency representatives and family.

POST is planning to host 22 Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute (SBSLI) classes for Fiscal Year 2021-2022. Due to the large number of courses available, POST has removed the limit of 5 sergeants from each agency. For this fiscal year, there is no limit to the number of qualified sergeants and dispatch supervisors an agency may request to enroll.

The SBSLI Open Enrollment period is March 5 – March 30, 2021. Please refer to the upcoming POST Bulletin for open enrollment instructions.

For questions regarding SBSLI, contact Senior Consultant Jim Katapodis, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3467.

Updates to the Qualifications for Scenario Managers and Scenario Evaluators

Any scenario manager or scenario evaluator appointed on, or after, April 1, 2021, will be required to have full-time sworn law enforcement experience and possess a POST Basic Certificate. The new requirements are intended to ensure adequate training and experience prior to managing the scenario testing process or evaluating student performance on a scenario test.

Individuals currently appointed as a scenario manager or scenario evaluator (appointment prior to April 1, 2021), who do not meet the new requirement will be able to continue their current role(s) for that presenter(s) only.

Questions regarding this article may be directed to Staff Services Manager Anita Finner, Basic Training Bureau, at (916) 227-3901.

Meet the New POST Employees

Marguerite Galvez

Marguerite Galvez

Associate Governmental Program Analyst (Retired Annuitant)
Management Counseling and Projects Bureau

Marguerite comes to us as a retired annuitant. She previously served as an Administrative Analyst for the Galt Police Department. Before retirement, she was an Associate Governmental Program Analyst with the Cold Hit Program at the Department of Justice. Prior to that, she served as an Associate Management Auditor performing field office compliance audits of Department of Motor field offices. Marguerite joins POST an Associate Governmental Program Analyst – Retired Annuitant in the Management Counseling and Projects Bureau.

Lori Cabog

Lori Cabog

Information Technology Specialist I (Retired Annuitant)
Learning Technology Resources Bureau

After 20 years, Lori retired from the State, working for the CHP in data networks and telecom groups. The majority of her career was with CalPERS, where she worked on various IT projects overseeing the migration to VoIP and migration to a MPLS WAN environment to connect the headquarters office with each of the regional offices. Lori was highly involved in several procurements for the above projects working on SOWs, requirement gathering and determination of qualified responders. She is working as an Information Technology Specialist I – Retired Annuitant in the Learning Technology Resources Bureau assisting with the PAL process at CDT.

Eugene Velasco

Eugene Velasco

Information Technology Associate (Retired Annuitant)
Learning Technology Resources Bureau

Eugene comes to POST after retiring from CDCR after 31 years. She had worked as an IT Technology Specialist I and was the Lead IT support for Statewide Information Field Training (SWIFT) 2 Northern Region. Eugene has joined POST as a Information Technology Associate – Retired Annuitant, providing Tier 2 LP support in the Learning Technology Resources Bureau.

Caleb Wilson

Caleb Wilson

Staff Services Analyst
Administrative Services Bureau

Caleb comes to us from Costco, where he worked as the business delivery finalizer. He has previously served in the Army Reserve as a Civil Affairs Specialist, worked as a corporate law clerk, and worked as a substitute teacher for all grades and subjects. Caleb is assigned as a Staff Services Analyst (Budget Analyst) in the Administrative Services Bureau.

Legislative Update

Status of Current Legislation

The following is legislation POST is monitoring in the 2021-22 session. This is not a complete list of legislation that could affect law enforcement.  (Updated 2/23/2021)

Bill # and Author Title and Summary Status of Bill

AB 17

Assembly Member Cooper

Peace officers: disqualification from employment

Would disqualify a person from being a peace officer if the person has been discharged from the military for committing an offense that would have been a felony if committed in California or if the person has been certified as a peace officer and has had that certification revoked by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.

Amended: 1/12/2021

Status: 1/13/2021-Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S.

AB 26

Assembly Member Holden

Peace officers: use of force

Current law requires each law enforcement agency, on or before January 1, 2021, to maintain a policy that provides a minimum standard on the use of force. Current law requires that policy, among other things, to require that officers report potential excessive force to a superior officer when present and observing another officer using force that the officer believes to be unnecessary, and to require that officers intercede when present and observing another officer using force that is clearly beyond that which is necessary, as specified. This bill would require those law enforcement policies to require those officers to immediately report potential excessive force, and to intercede when present and observing an officer using excessive force, as defined.

Introduced Date: 12/7/2020

Status: 1/11/2021-Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

AB 48

Assembly Member Gonzalez, Lorena

Law enforcement: kinetic energy projectiles and chemical agents

Would prohibit the use of kinetic energy projectiles or chemical agents, as defined, by any law enforcement agency to disperse any assembly, protest, or demonstration, except in compliance with specified standards set by the bill, and would prohibit their use solely due to a violation of an imposed curfew, verbal threat, or noncompliance with a law enforcement directive. The bill would prohibit the use of chloroacetophenone tear gas or 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile gas by law enforcement agencies to disperse any assembly, protest, or demonstration. The bill would include in the standards for the use of kinetic energy projectiles and chemical agents to disperse gatherings the requirement that, among other things, those weapons only be used to defend against a threat to life or serious bodily injury to any individual, including a peace officer.

Introduced Date: 12/7/2020

Status: 1/11/2021-Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

AB 57

Assembly Member Gabriel

Hate crimes

Would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to respond to the increase in hate crimes by, among other things, strengthening requirements for law enforcement training and education regarding hate crimes and enhancing statutory prohibitions against online hate and harassment.

Introduced Date: 12/7/2020

Status: 12/8/2020-From printer. May be heard in committee January 7.

AB 60

Assembly Member Salas

Law enforcement

Would disqualify a person from being employed as a peace officer if that person has been convicted of, or has been adjudicated by a military tribunal as having committed an offense that would have been a felony if committed in this state. The bill would also disqualify any person who has been certified as a peace officer by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training and has had that certification revoked by the commission.

Introduced Date: 12/7/2020

Status: 1/11/2021-Referred to Com. on PUB. S.

AB 89

Assembly Member Jones-Sawyer

Peace officers: minimum qualifications

Current law requires peace officers in this state to meet specified minimum standards, including age and education requirements. This bill would increase the minimum qualifying age from 18 to 25 years of age. This bill would permit an individual under 25 years of age to qualify for employment as a peace officer if the individual has a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited college or university. The bill would provide legislative findings in support of the measure.

Introduced Date: 2/17/2020

Status: 2/18/2021-Re-referred to Com. on PUB. S

AB 118

Assembly Member Kamlager

Emergency services: community response: grant program

Would, until January 1, 2026, enact the Community Response Initiative to Strengthen Emergency Systems Act or the C.R.I.S.E.S. Act for the purpose of creating, implementing, and evaluating the 3-year C.R.I.S.E.S. Grant Pilot Program, which the act would establish. The bill would require the office to establish rules and regulations for the program with the goal of making grants to community organizations, over 3 years, for the purpose of expanding the participation of community organizations in emergency response for specified vulnerable populations. The bill would require that grantees receive a minimum award of $250,000 per year. The bill would require a community organization receiving funds pursuant to the program to use the grant to stimulate and support involvement in emergency response activities that do not require a law enforcement officer, as specified. The bill would require the Director of Emergency Services (director) to assemble staff and resources to carry out certain duties in support of the program

Introduced Date: 12/18/2020

Status: 1/11/2021-Read first time. Referred to Com. on E.M.

AB 481

Assembly Member Chiu

Law enforcement agencies: military equipment: funding, acquisition, and use.      

Would require a law enforcement agency, defined to include specified state and local entities, to obtain approval of the applicable governing body, by adoption of a military equipment impact statement and a military equipment use policy, as specified, by ordinance at a regular meeting held pursuant to specified open meeting laws, prior to taking certain actions relating to the funding, acquisition, or use of military equipment, as defined. The bill would also require similar approval for the continued use of military equipment acquired prior to January 1, 2022. The bill would allow the governing body to approve the funding, acquisition, or use of military equipment within its jurisdiction only if it determines that the military equipment meets specified standards.

Introduced Date: 2/8/2021

Status: 2/18/2021-Referred to Coms. on L. GOV. and PUB. S.

AB 594

Assembly Member McCarty

Law enforcement policies

Current law requires each law enforcement agency to maintain a policy that provides guidelines on the use of force, and to annually furnish specified information to the Department of Justice regarding the use of force by peace officers employed by that agency. Current law requires the Attorney General to investigate incidents of an officer-involved shooting resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian, as specified. This bill would, for specified use of force incidents other than those required to be investigated by the Attorney General, require an agency to cause a criminal investigation of these incidents to be conducted, and would prohibit a law enforcement agency from conducting the criminal investigation into those incidents involving an officer employed by that agency. This bill would instead provide alternative protocols for investigations of those incidents, including investigation by the district attorney’s office, another law enforcement agency, or a multiagency task force.

Introduced Date: 2/11/2021

Status: 2/18/2021-Referred to Coms. on PUB. S.

AB 603

Assembly Member McCarty

Law enforcement settlements and judgments: reporting.      

Would require municipalities, as defined, to annually post on their internet websites specified information relating to settlements and judgments resulting from allegations of improper police conduct, including, among other information, amounts paid, broken down by individual settlement and judgment, information on bonds used to finance use of force settlement and judgment payments, and premiums paid for insurance against settlements or judgments resulting from allegations of improper police conduct. The bill would require the Transportation Agency to annually post the same information on its internet website regarding settlements and judgments against the Department of the California Highway Patrol.

Introduced Date: 2/11/2021

Status: 2/18/2021-Referred to Coms. on PUB. S.

AB 655

Assembly Member Kalra

California Law Enforcement Accountability Reform Act.      

Current law requires that a candidate for a peace officer position be of good moral character, as determined by a thorough background investigation.This bill would require that background investigation to include an inquiry into whether a candidate for specified peace officer positions has engaged in membership in a hate group, participation in hate group activities, or public expressions of hate, as those terms are defined. The bill would provide that certain findings would disqualify a person from employment.

Introduced Date: 2/12/2021

Status: 2/13/2021-From printer. May be heard in committee March 15

AB 669

Assembly Member Lackey

Firearms: unsafe handguns

Current law prohibits the manufacture, importation, sale, or transfer of an unsafe handgun, as defined. Current law exempts from this prohibition sales to specified law enforcement agencies or other specified government agencies for use by specified employees and sales to specified peace officers. Current law further requires that the sale of an unsafe handgun to certain specified entities, including a county probation department, and members of those entities, is only authorized if the handgun is to be used as a service weapon by a peace officer who has successfully completed the basic course prescribed by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and who qualifies with the handgun, as specified, at least every 6 months. This bill would instead exempt sales to or purchases by a county probation department and sworn members thereof who have completed specified firearms training prescribed by POST.

Introduced Date: 2/12/2021

Status: From printer. May be heard in committee March 15

AB 718

Assembly Member Cunningham

Peace officers: investigations of misconduct

Would require a law enforcement agency or oversight agency to complete its investigation into an allegation of the use of force resulting in death or great bodily injury, sexual assault, discharge of a firearm, or dishonesty relating to the reporting, investigation, or prosecution of a crime or misconduct by another peace officer or custodial officer, despite the peace officer’s or custodial officer’s voluntary separation from the employing agency. The bill would require the investigation to result in a finding that the allegation is either sustained, not sustained, unfounded, or exonerated, as defined. The bill would also require an agency other than an officer’s employing agency that conducts an investigation of these allegations to disclose its findings with the employing agency no later than the conclusion of the investigation

Introduced Date: 2/16/2021

Status: 2/17/2021-From printer. May be heard in committee March 19.

AB 759

Assembly Member McCarty

Elections: county sheriff

The California Constitution requires the Legislature to provide for an elected county sheriff in each county. Current law generally requires the election to select county officers to be held with the statewide primary election at which candidates for Governor are nominated, but if no candidate for a county office receives a majority of the votes cast for that office at the primary election, the 2 candidates who received the most votes advance to the statewide general election at which the Governor is elected. This bill, commencing January 1, 2024, would require an election for county sheriff to instead be held at the presidential general election. To the extent changing the date for election of county sheriffs would impose additional duties on local elections officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Introduced Date: 2/16/2021

Status: 2/17/2021-From printer. May be heard in committee March 19

AB 1281

Assembly Member Rubio, Blanca

Peace officers

Current law requires a uniformed peace officer to wear a badge, nameplate, or other device that bears clearly on its face the identification number or name of the officer. This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to this provision.

Introduced Date: 2/19/2021

Status: 2/22/2021-Read first time

AB 1451

Assembly Member Lackey

Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training

Current law establishes within the Department of Justice the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training and requires the commission to adopt rules establishing minimum standards regarding the recruitment and training of peace officers.This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to those provisions.

Introduced Date: 2/19/2021

Status: 2/22/2021-Read first time

SB 2

Senator Bradford

Peace Officers: certification: civil rights

Would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation amending the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act and to provide a decertification process for peace officers.

Introduced Date: 12/7/2020

Status: 1/28/2021-Referred to Com. on RLS

SB 16

Senator Skinner

Peace officers: release of records

Would, commencing July 1, 2022, make every incident involving use of force to make a member of the public comply with an officer, force that is unreasonable, or excessive force subject to disclosure. The bill would, commencing July 1, 2022, require records relating to sustained findings of unlawful arrests and unlawful searches to be subject to disclosure. The bill would, commencing July 1, 2022, also require the disclosure of records relating to an incident in which a sustained finding was made by any law enforcement agency or oversight agency that a peace officer or custodial officer engaged in conduct involving prejudice or discrimination on the basis of specified protected classes. The bill would require the retention of all complaints and related reports or findings currently in the possession of a department or agency. The bill would require that records relating to an incident in which an officer resigned before an investigation is completed to also be subject to release.

Introduced Date: 12/7/2020

Status: 2/17/2021-Set for hearing March 9.

SB 98

Senator McGuire

Public Peace: media access

Would, if peace officers close the immediate area surrounding any emergency field command post or establish any other command post, police line, or rolling closure at a demonstration, march, protest, or rally where individuals are engaged primarily in constitutionally protected activity, as described, require that a duly authorized representative of any news service, online news service, newspaper, or radio or television station or network, as described, be allowed to enter those closed areas and would prohibit a peace officer or other law enforcement officer from intentionally assaulting, interfering with, or obstructing a duly authorized representative who is gathering, receiving, or processing information for communication to the public. The bill would also prohibit a duly authorized representative who is in a closed area from being cited for the failure to disperse, a violation of a curfew, or a violation of other, specified law. The bill would require that if a representative is detained by a peace officer or other law enforcement officer, the representative be permitted to contact a supervisory officer immediately for the purpose of challenging the detention.

Introduced Date: 12/22/2020

Status: 2/17/2021-Set for hearing March 9

SB 271

Senator Wiener

County sheriffs: eligibility requirements

The California Constitution requires the Legislature to provide for an elected county sheriff in each county. Current statutory law specifies that a person is not eligible to become a candidate for the office of sheriff in a county unless the person has an advanced certificate issued by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training or meets a combination of certain educational degree and full-time, salaried law enforcement experience requirements, as specified. Current law deems a person holding the office of sheriff on January 1, 1989, to have met those qualifications. This bill would repeal those eligibility provisions, and would make other conforming changes

Introduced Date: 1/28/2021

Status: 2/22/2021-Art. IV. Sec. 8(a) of the Constitution dispensed with. (Ayes 32. Noes 4.)

SB 387

Senator Portantino

Peace officers: certification, education, and recruitment

Current law requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to establish a certification program for peace officers. Current law requires the commission to establish basic, intermediate, advanced, supervisory, management, and executive certificates for the purpose of fostering the education and experience necessary to perform general police service duties. Existing law requires certificates to be awarded on the basis of a combination of training, education, experience, and other prerequisites, as determined by the commission. This bill would require the commission to work with stakeholders from law enforcement, the University of California, the California State University, the California Community Colleges, and community organizations to develop a list of courses to include as requirements for obtaining a basic certificate, as specified. The bill would require an applicant for a basic certificate to complete those courses before obtaining the certificate.

Introduced Date: 2/11/2021

Status: 2/22/2021-Art. IV. Sec. 8(a) of the Constitution dispensed with. (Ayes 32. Noes 4.)

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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