POST Monthly Report

January 2021

Keeping you up to date on POST projects

Recruit Training Officer (RTO) and Director/Coordinator Orientation Program Videos Released

POST has released two specialized training videos in support of the Recruit Training Officer and Director/Coordinator Orientation Programs.

The “Recruit Training Officer (RTO) Orientation Program” video provides a contemporary overview of the RTO position with segments that focus on several key RTO topics including: Leadership, Ethics, and Professionalism; Recruit Interaction; Roles and Responsibilities; Testing; and Evaluation and Documentation. The orientation program video satisfies the POST Regulation 1071 training requirement that both part-time and full-time RTOs complete the Orientation Program prior to performing RTO duties.

The “Director/Coordinator Orientation Program” video begins with an overview of these leadership positions, followed by detailed segments on the following topics: Staff Roles and Responsibilities; POST’s Role and Expectations; Training Requirements; Duties and Operations; Communication and Collaboration; and Documentation. This orientation program serves as a supplement to the POST Director/Coordinator Course.

Both orientation program videos are available to view on the POST Learning Portal.

Questions about these new videos may be directed to Staff Services Manager Jennifer Hardesty, Basic Training Bureau, at (916) 227-3917.

Planning Begins for the Virtual ICI Detective Symposium

On January 13, 2021, members of the POST Training Program Services Bureau held its initial web meeting with partners from agencies representing all 10 Regions throughout the state to start planning the first ever online version of the Robert Presley Institute of Criminal Investigation (ICI) Detective Symposium. Like the in-person ICI Detective Symposiums of the past, this year’s program also aims to provide a glimpse of emerging trends in law enforcement and enhance knowledge of investigative strategies, techniques, and resources to several hundred detectives and other investigators while encouraging networking. This year’s Virtual ICI Detective Symposium will be held May 11 – 13, 2021, so save the dates; additional details will be provided soon.

Questions regarding this article may be directed to Law Enforcement Consultant Gerald Fernandez, Training Program Services Bureau, at (916) 227-3933.

Online Training Managers Workshop

Due to the prolonged limitations on various presentations due to the COVID Pandemic, the Training Delivery and Compliance Bureau has continued to engage with agencies and provide training in an online format.

On January 20, 2021, an eight-hour virtual Training Manager Workshop was held with over 20 agencies attending from throughout the state. Topics covered included an introduction to course certification, POST regulations, training mandates, changes to our Learning Portal, and information on the Field Training Program. Other items discussed include pending changes to course requirements, the impact of COVID on obtaining training, and the need to regularly review documents, such as agency training plans and Field Training Program Manuals.

Questions relating to online course options can be directed to your Regional Law Enforcement Consultant.

New Training Video Released for Domestic Violence and Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVRO)

POST has released its newest training video, "Domestic Violence and Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVRO)." Available to view on the POST Learning Portal, this training program prepares California law enforcement professionals for the recognition, enforcement, and investigation of the crime of domestic violence, including the issuance of Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVRO). Upon completion of this training program, officers will have a greater understanding of the laws covering domestic violence and GVRO, identifying commonalities in victimology, and how to conduct a domestic violence investigation. Officers will also recognize their important role and how best to enforce the laws covering these crimes. The video offers two viewing modes and printable instructor and trainee documents for either group-facilitated or individual instruction.

Questions about the new "Domestic Violence and Gun Violence Restraining Orders (GVRO)" training video may be directed to Nick Muyo, Learning Technology Resources Bureau, at (916) 227-4895.

New POST EDI Tutorial Video Released

In an effort to make it easier to navigate the online Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) system, POST has released a new video, “Introduction to POST EDI.” Available to view on the POST Learning Portal and on the POST EDI Website, the tutorial introduces agency personnel and presenters who utilize POST's Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to basic EDI functions. The video explains how EDI provides authorized users with varying levels of access to process records within the POST database and offers a number of specific functions a user may utilize. The video includes separate tutorials specific to agency users and course presenters, followed by overviews of the Quick Links and Tabs features within EDI. Tips for navigation and user access rights are also included.

Questions about the new tutorial video may be directed to Mike Barnes, Learning Technology Resources Bureau, at (916) 227-3454. For EDI questions and technical support, visit the EDI Contact Us webpage.

Basic Course Scenario Management Update

On January 12, 2021, POST’s Basic Training Bureau hosted a two-hour Basic Course Scenario Management Update at POST in West Sacramento through Zoom. This meeting was held to provide key updates on scenario management to staff involved in the scenario testing process, including basic academy Scenario Managers, Directors, Coordinators, and other academy staff. Twenty attendees, representing multiple basic academies from throughout the state, were in attendance. During the meeting, attendees learned about updates to scenario training and testing specifications, required training prior to scenario testing, test management and scenario test security protocols.

In alignment with COVID-19 guidelines, the Basic Course Scenario Management Update was facilitated with the priority of health in mind. This specialized update was held via an online video conference so that attendees could participate remotely. POST staff provided valuable information on an effective platform to California academies without compromising the health of academy staff.

Questions regarding the Scenario Manager Course may be directed to Staff Services Manager I (Specialist) Anita Finner, Basic Training Bureau, at (916) 227-3901.

Meet the New POST Employees

Mark Nagel

Law Enforcement Consultant II

Learning Technology Resources Bureau

Mark comes to POST after a 20-year law enforcement career with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office and two years as the Executive Director of Public Safety at Saint Mary’s College. In his last five years of law enforcement service, Mark was the Chief of Police for the contract City of Orinda. During his career, Mark's assignments included Station House Commander, Watch Commander, Technical Services Division Lieutenant, Administrative Sergeant for Custody and Patrol, traffic car for the contract City of Lafayette, and Recruiting for the Sheriff's Office. Mark earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Master's Degree in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership from the University of San Diego. Mark begins his five bureau rotation at POST with the Learning Technology Resources 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 1/22/2021)

View a detailed report on legislative matters pertaining to law enforcement and POST.

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: 12/7/2020 Status: 1/11/2021-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.
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: 12/8/2020-From printer. May be heard in committee January 7.
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: 12/8/2020-From printer. May be heard in committee January 7.
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: 1/11/2021-Read first time

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: 12/7/2020

Status: 1/11/2021-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.

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

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

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: 1/11/2021-Read first time

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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