Management Counseling and Projects Bureau

Contact Information for Programs and Services

Bureau Overview

MCPB provides services to local law enforcement agencies in an effort to improve the quality of police services at each level of the organization. These services may include Management Studies, Peace Officer Feasibility Studies, Team Building Workshops, and Field Management Training. Additionally, MCPB conducts research, provides advice to clients on best practices, manages the POST Evidence and Property Function Management Course and the POST Records Management Course (and related POST publications), and coordinates special projects.

MCPB Programs and Services

  • Field Management Training
  • Management Studies
  • Evidence and Property Studies
  • Peace Officer Feasibility Studies
  • Team Building Workshop Program
  • Executive Seminars

Field Management Training

Local agencies sometimes encounter administrative, management, or operational problems or projects for which no formal training is available. Through Field Management Training, POST provides financial assistance for local agency personnel to visit sites within California and observe outstanding programs or receive on-the-job training. Information gathered during these visits is maintained at POST and is shared with agencies facing similar challenges. Information about field management training can be found in Commission Procedure D-9, POST Regulations.

Management Study

Management studies are conducted at the request of a local agency executive. A typical study focuses on organizational structure, property system, patrol workload and staffing, or functions involved with evidence/property, dispatch, or records. Guidelines for requesting management counseling services can be found in Commission Procedure G-1, POST Regulations.

The application period for Management Studies is May 1st through May 31st each year, for studies to be completed the following California state fiscal year (July 1st through June 30th). Studies are approved and conducted based on the need stated in the application, staffing, and bureau workload.

 View Management Studies POST offers

Evidence and Property Study

This study involves a review and analysis of an agency’s evidence and property function, including the following:  a review of agency written directives, organization, personnel, training, documentation and forms, safety, security, storage, evidence and property handling procedures, audits, inventories, inspections, and evidence and property disposition and purging.  The results/findings of the evidence and property function study will be documented in a written report that will be submitted to the agency head.

The application period for Evidence and Property Studies is May 1st through May 31st each year, for studies to be completed the following California state fiscal year (July 1st through June 30th). 

Request an Evidence and Property Study from POST

Peace Officer Feasibility Study

Any person(s) desiring peace officer designation or a change in peace officer status are required, per California Penal Code §13540, to request the Commission on POST undertake a feasibility study regarding such change.

A written feasibility study request is required and the person(s) requesting new peace officer status or a change in peace officer designation or status is required. The request is required to include a statement that the person(s) requesting the study acknowledge that a fee shall apply for conducting the study, that the requestor(s) will provide POST with the necessary information to conduct the study, and an acknowledgement by the department head of the jurisdiction employing the requestor(s) of the request for the study.

The complete scope of the study will be determined in cooperation with the requestor(s) and shall minimally include the agency structure, training requirements, and funding restrictions.

The department or agency requesting the study shall contract with POST for completion of the study. Requests for new peace officer designation are required to be complete within 18 months of the mutual acceptance of a contract to complete the study. Requests for a change in peace officer designation or status are required to be complete within 12 months from the mutual acceptance of the contract.

If there is a disagreement with the study recommendations, the person(s), entity or employing jurisdiction may appeal to the POST Commission. See Commission Regulation 1019 - Peace Officer Feasibility Study Requirements for complete details regarding feasibility studies.

Additionally, see the Feasibility Study Process (pdf) in the additional information box. The Procedures for Feasibility Studies includes sections covering background information, policy, procedures, written report requirements and the appeal process. The appendices include documents listing potential costs associated with peace officer status and a sample questionnaire used to interview staff at the requesting organization during the study.  

 Team Building Workshop Program

For more than 40 years, the Team Building Workshop Program has provided specialized consultant services to assist the management team of a local agency with planning, problem solving, goal setting, or team building. Agencies may apply for a team building workshop once every two years. Applications are accepted beginning May 1 of each year, and are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Approximately 40-45 agencies receive POST-sponsored Team Building Workshops each year.

Executive Training Seminars

Executive Seminars may be approved for 16 to 40 hours in duration at the request of local law enforcement chief executive groups, based on an application process. Approximately 20 workshops are presented each year at locations statewide. These workshops focus on a variety of training topics and/or problem solving for specific issues. Those attending the workshops are eligible to receive Continuing Professional Training (CPT) credit. This program may be certified to a county law enforcement executive association which comprises mainly Chiefs of Police, District Attorneys and  County Sheriffs.

Management Counseling Special Projects

MCPB takes the lead on handling special projects that affect multiple bureaus prior to the final product being released to POST and/or the field. The bureau is also assigned review/update of certain POST programs as necessary.

  • Special Projects as Assigned
  • Guidelines Development and Updates to Guidelines
  • Publication Development

Publications

MCPB produces and maintains the Law Enforcement Evidence/Property Management Guide and the Law Enforcement Records Management Guide. The guides are based on national best practices and input from subject-matter experts in the areas of evidence/property and law enforcement records.

Statewide Training

  • Coroner
  • Dispatch
  • Records/Records Supervisory Course
  • Evidence and Property