Legal Affairs Bureau

Bureau Overview

The primary mission of the Legal Affairs Bureau (LAB) is to provide high quality and timely advice and assistance to the POST Commission and Executive Management on the full range of legal issues involving the Commission’s work.  In addition, LAB supports the work of POST’s various Bureaus by providing guidance and legal advice to the Bureaus in their respective areas of responsibility.  

Bureau Responsibilities

LAB is responsible for providing advice and counsel to the POST Commission and staff in executing its core functions of setting minimum selection and training standards for the over 600 agencies that participate in the POST program.  LAB assists POST staff with advice and counsel as to the requirements of California law in POST’s training and selection standards; advises the Commission during public meetings and in closed session; assists with responses to subpoenas and Public Records Act requests; advises on labor and personnel matters; advises staff regarding regulatory language and issues;  litigates matters affecting POST, including litigation before the State Personnel Board and Office of Administrative Hearings; supervises attorneys acting as outside counsel, and acts as a liaison with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) on matters referred to the OAG for handling.

LAB is also responsible for assisting the Peace Officer Standards and Accountability Division (POSAD) in prosecuting actions against an officer’s certification in response to certain criminal convictions and acts of serious misconduct.  This includes providing legal advice and counsel to the Division during the investigative phase and representing the Division during the processing of decertification actions before the Peace Officer Standards Accountability Advisory Board, the POST Commission, and the Office of Administrative Hearings.  To ensure that due process is provided in all matters prosecuted by POSAD, LAB maintains separate advisory and prosecution counsel to ensure fairness for all litigants. 

LAB is staffed by a Chief Counsel, an Assistant Chief Counsel, six attorneys, and six professional staff members.