- Agencies authorized to have reserve officers
-
Only those agencies specified in
Penal Code Section 830.6
are authorized to have reserve officers.
- Appointment Date
-
The background investigation shall be completed on or prior to the
appointment date. [Commission Regulation 1007(a)] The medical and
psychological suitability examinations shall be conducted within 1 year
before hire. [Commission Procedure C-2-2].
- Assignments
-
Reserve officers are required to complete minimum training before being
assigned to peace officer duties. The training requirement is determined
by the appointment date. Past and current minimum training standards are
listed in
Commission Procedure H-3.
- Basic Certificate
-
Issued to full-time peace officers employed and paid as such in a
participating California Agency, who have satisfactorily completed the
Basic Course and a period of probation, of no less than one year. An
officer must acquire the certificate upon completion of probation but
within 24 months of date of hire. [Commission Procedure F-1-2 and F-1-5].
- Certificate of Completion
-
A certificate issued by a training presenter to a student upon successful
completion of a course of training.
- Certificate of Recognition
-
May be issued by department heads to Level I, II or III reserve officers
upon a person’s designation to a specific reserve officer level. POST has
not established specific eligibility criteria for issuing Certificates of
Recognition. This certificate is designed primarily to be used by
departments to give recognition or to document progression to various
levels of reserve officer assignment. Each department head may develop
criteria and procedures for issuance of the Certificate of Recognition.
[Commission Procedure H-4-2(a) and H-4-3].
- Reserve Officer Certificate
-
Issued by POST to reserve officers who meet the requirements for Level I
assignment and in addition have completed 200 hours of general law
enforcement experience. The certificate is not required by statute nor
necessary to exercise peace officer powers as a Level I reserve officer.
[Commission Procedure H-4-2(b)].
- Clearance Letter
-
Penal Code section 13511.5 requires that each applicant for admission to a
basic course of training certified by the Commission (including the PC 832
Course) that includes the carrying and use of firearms, who is not
sponsored by a local or other law enforcement agency or is not a peace
officer employed by a state or local agency, department, or district,
shall be required to submit written certification from the Department of
Justice that the applicant has no criminal history background which would
disqualify him or her, from owning, possessing, or having under his or her
control a firearm. [POST Bulletin 98-28].
- Continuing Professional Training (CPT)
-
Every peace officer, Level I and Level II Reserve Officer [defined in
Commission Procedures H-1-2(a) -(b)], Public Safety Dispatcher [defined in
Commission Regulation 1001(bb)], and Public Safety Dispatch Supervisor
shall satisfactorily complete the Continuing Professional Training (CPT)
requirement of 24 or more hours of training every two years.
[Commission Regulations 1005(d)(1), 1007(b)(1)(E) and 1007(b)(2)(C)].
-
The CPT requirement for Level I reserve officers became effective July
1, 1995.
-
The CPT requirement for Level II reserve officers became effective July
1, 1999.
-
Reserve Officers are not required to complete Perishable Skills and
Communications training. [Commission Regulation 1005(d)(3)].
- Designated Level I
-
Refer to Level I.
- Field Training Program
-
All Level I reserve officers, upon completing the Regular Basic Course or
its equivalent, shall complete a POST-approved Field Training Program
(Commission Procedure D-13) prior to working alone in a general law
enforcement assignment. The
Field Training Program,
which shall be delivered over a minimum of 10 weeks (400 hours).
[Commission Regulation 1007(b)(1)(C)].
A Level I reserve peace officer is exempt from the Field Training Program
requirement if the Level I reserve peace officer is reappointed to a Level
I position with less than a three year break in service and has
successfully completed:
- Modules A, B and C and 200 hours of structured field training; or
-
The Regular Basic Course or its equivalent and 400 hours of a
POST-approved Field Training Program. [Commission Regulation
1007(b)(1)(D)].
There is no field training requirement for Level II or III reserves.
- Full Time Employment
-
Is employment as defined by a state, local, or department regulation,
charter resolution, or ordinance; wherein the employee normally works in
excess of 20 hours weekly or 87 hours monthly; is tenured or has a right
to due process in personnel matters; and, is entitled to workers
compensation and retirement provisions as are other full-time employees of
the same personnel classification in the department. [
Commission Regulation 1001(p)].
- General Law Enforcement
-
"Prevention and detection of crime and the general enforcement of laws"
refers to the peace officer authority of a Level I or Level II reserve
officer assigned to investigate crime, or patrol a geographic area and
personally handle the full range of requests for police services, and take
enforcement action on the full range of law violations for which the
reserve’s department has enforcement responsibility. [Commission Procedure
H-1-2(f)].
- Hours a Reserve Officer is Required to Work
-
Refer to Qualifying Service.
- Immediate Supervision
-
"Immediate supervision for Level II reserves" means the reserve officer
acts under the direction of a peace officer who has completed the basic
training course for deputy sheriffs and police officers prescribed by the
Commission, and is routinely in the physical proximity of and available to
the reserve officer; however, allowance is permitted for necessary
temporary separations. [Commission Procedure H-1-2(e)].
- Lateral Transfer of Reserve Officers
-
"Lateral Entry" refers to a hiring practice which may exempt an individual
from some of the department’s hiring and training procedures, as the
individual’s prior experience, level of responsibility, and/or training
are taken into consideration for appointment. [
Commission Regulation 1001(t)].
Individuals who have previous service as a Level I or II reserve officer
may qualify for a lateral transfer if they have less than a
three year break in service. There is no lateral transfer provision for Level III reserve officers.
- Level I Reserve
-
Refers to a trained reserve officer as described in Penal Code section
832.6 (a)(1), and who is assigned specific police functions whether or not
working alone [830.6 (a)(1)] OR to the prevention and detection of crime
and the general enforcement of the laws of this state [830.6 (a)(2)]
whether or not working alone.
-
The authority of a "non designated" Level I reserve shall extend only
for the duration of assignment to specific police functions, as provided
by
Penal Code Section 830.6 (a)(1).
-
The authority of a "designated" Level I reserve, assigned to the
prevention and detection of crime and the general enforcement of the
laws of this state, shall include the full powers and duties of a peace
officer as provided by Penal Code section 830.1. A Level I reserve is
“designated” by authority of a city ordinance or a county resolution
[Penal Code section 830.6 (a)(2)]. [
Commission Procedure H-1-2(a)].
- Level II Reserve
-
Refers to a trained reserve officer as described in Penal Code section
832.6 (a)(2), who works under the immediate supervision of a peace officer
who has completed the basic training course for deputy sheriffs and police
officers prescribed by the Commission, and is assigned to the prevention
and detection of crime and the general enforcement of the laws of this
State. [
Commission Procedure H-1-2(b)].
- Level III Reserve
-
Refers to a trained reserve officer as described in Penal Code section
832.6 (a)(3), who is supervised in the accessible vicinity by a Level I
reserve officer or a full time regular peace officer employed by a law
enforcement agency authorized to have reserves and deployed in limited
support duties not requiring general law enforcement powers in their
routine performance. Those limited support duties shall include traffic
control, security at parades and sporting events, report taking, evidence
transportation, parking enforcement, and other duties that are not likely
to result in physical arrests. Level III reserve officers may transport
prisoners without immediate supervision. [
Commission Regulation 1007(a)
- Modular Format
-
See Regular Basic Course Formats.
- Modules A, B, and C
-
See Reserve Format.
- Module D
-
See Reserve Format.
- PC 832 Course
-
An introductory course of training required for all persons described as
peace officers in Chapter 4.5 of the Penal Code. The course consists of a
minimum of 64 hours of training and is divided into two-parts; the Arrest
Course (40 hours) and the Firearms Course (24 hours).
- Perishable Skills Program
-
See Continuing Professional Training.
- Qualifiying Service
-
Serving in a California peace officer/Level I reserve officer position for
which a POST-certified Regular Basic Course or Specialized Investigators’
Basic Course was required by law. Service as a Level I reserve officer
will be considered only for a Level I reserve who serves an average
monthly minimum of 16 hours. [
Commission Regulation 1008].
- Regular Basic Course
-
Every peace officer, except Reserve Levels II and III, those peace
officers listed in Commission Regulation 1005(a)(3) [peace officers whose
primary duties are investigative], and 1005(a)(4) [coroners or deputy
coroners], shall complete the Regular Basic Course before being assigned
duties which include the exercise of peace officer powers. [Commission
Regulation 1005(a)(1)].
- Regular Basic Course Formats
-
-
Standard Format – The
Regular Basic Course delivered in a
one-part instructional sequence. The Standard Format includes both
intensive and extended presentations.
-
Modular Format – The
Regular Basic Course delivered in a
three-part instructional sequence. Completion of the Level III, Level II
and Level I Modules, as set forth in Commission Regulation 1007,
constitutes satisfaction of the Regular Basic Course training
requirement.
- Requalification
-
The rule that relates to the necessity to
requalify basic training or
arrest and firearms (PC 832) training. (Reference Commission Regulations
1008 and 1080) [Commission Regulation 1001(mm)].
Six-Year Exception: Individuals who successfully completed a Regular Basic
Course (RBC), Specialized Investigators' Basic Course (SIBC), or the Basic
Course Waiver process on or after July 1, 1999 but who never served in a
position for which a Regular or Specialized Investigators' Basic Course
was required by law, may requalify by completing the POST Requalification
Course one time within six years from the date of basic course or waiver
process completion. After six years, those individuals must complete the
appropriate basic course (RBC or SIBC) to requalify, regardless of when
the Requalification Course was completed.
- Reserve Coordinator Training
-
A complete list of training courses for reserve coordinators is available
in the
Catalog of Certified Courses
on the POST Website. Look under the letter “R” for Reserve Coordinator
Courses.
- Reserve Format
-
Modules A, B, C and D. The former entry level training system for reserve
peace officers. This format was replaced by the Regular Basic Course –
Modular Format effective July 1, 1999.
Completion of Modules A, B, C and D constitutes satisfaction of the
Regular Basic Course training
requirement.
- Reserve Officer Certificate
-
See Certificates.
- Reserve Rank Structure
-
POST only recognizes the reserve levels specified in Penal Code section
830.6. Any other rank is specific to the agency.
- Reserve Training Courses
-
A complete list of reserve training presenters is available in the
Catalog of Certified Courses
on the POST website. Look under the letter “A” for Arrest and Firearms (PC
832), which is Part 1 of the two-part Level III Module. Look under the
letter “L” for level to find the other components of the modular format.
- Technical Reserve
-
This is not a California peace officer position because the term does not
exist in law or regulation.
- Three Year Rule
-
The rule that relates to the necessity to
requalify basic training or
arrest and firearms (PC 832) training. (Reference Commission Regulations
1008 and 1080) [Commission Regulation 1001(mm)].
Six-Year Exception: Individuals who successfully completed a Regular Basic
Course (RBC), Specialized Investigators' Basic Course (SIBC), or the Basic
Course Waiver process on or after July 1, 1999 but who never served in a
position for which a Regular or Specialized Investigators' Basic Course
was required by law, may requalify by completing the POST Requalification
Course one time within six years from the date of basic course or waiver
process completion. After six years, those individuals must complete the
appropriate basic course (RBC or SIBC) to requalify, regardless of when
the Requalification Course was completed.
- Working Alone
-
Refers to a qualified Level I reserve officer who works without immediate
supervision and makes independent decisions. Two qualified Level I
reserves, or a qualified Level I reserve and a regular officer, are not
precluded from working together. [Commission Procedure H-1-2(g)].
- Working for Multiple Agencies
-
There is nothing in law or regulation that prohibits dual status. The
individual has to go through a complete peace officer selection with each
agency and meet all of the training requirements for each position. An
agency can have a policy that prevents one of their officers from serving
with another law enforcement agency.