Legislation

Below is a summary of legislation affecting the Reserve Peace Officer Program (RPOP) from 1995 to date.

For additional information on legislation refer to the Official California Legislative Information Website.

Senate Bill 1874 (January 1, 1995):

  • Established the Regular Basic Course as the entry-level training requirement for Level I reserve officers (effective January 2, 1997).
  • Required the development of a course to allow reserve officers who have completed Modules A, B, and C to satisfy the requirements of the Regular Basic Course with no unnecessary redundancy in training (Module D).
  • Established the category of limited, non-designated Level I reserve officer.
  • Established a continuing professional training requirement for Level I reserve officers.

Senate Bill 786 (January 1, 1998):

  • Eliminated the category of limited, non-designated Level I reserve.
  • Changed the supervision requirement for Level II reserves.
  • Eliminated the continuous field training requirement for Level II reserves.
  • Authorized Level II reserves to perform Level III duties without immediate supervision.
  • Authorized Level III reserves to perform specified limited support duties.
  • Established a proximate supervision requirement for Level III reserves performing limited support duties.

Senate Bill 1417 (January 1, 1999):

  • Established a continuing professional training requirement for Level II reserves.
  • Added report taking to the limited support duties authorized for Level III reserves.
  • Changed the supervision requirement for Level III reserves from “proximately supervised” to “supervised in the accessible vicinity”.
  • Clarified the definition of peace officer authorized to supervise a Level III reserve assigned to perform limited support duties.
  • Authorized Level III reserves to transport prisoners without immediate supervision.

Senate Bill 359 (July 13, 1999):

  • Authorized Level I and II reserve peace officers to transfer from one law enforcement agency to another, at the same level, without a break in service.
  • Authorized specified peace officers (including reserves) to possess short-barreled shotguns and rifles while on duty and the use is authorized by the employing agency and is within the course and scope of their duties.
    • Established a requirement that the peace officer has completed a training course in the use of these weapons certified by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
  • In response to the training requirement to possess short-barreled shotguns and rifles, the Commission took the following actions:
    • Developed a two-part POST-certified course to satisfy the training component, and
    • Amended Commission regulations to include the possession of long-barreled shotguns and rifles in the training requirement.

Senate Bill 1955 (January 1, 2001):

  • Authorized former Level I and II reserve peace officers to accept a new appointment at the same or lower level with another law enforcement agency, without meeting current training requirements, if there is less than a three-year break in service.
    • If the break in service is more than three years, the reserve officer shall satisfy current training requirements.

Senate Bill 485 (January 2, 2002):

  • Deleted the requirement for a supplemental course for existing Level I reserve officers to satisfy the Regular Basic Course (Module D).

Assembly Bill 1436 (January 1, 2004):

  • Authorized community college police departments to appoint reserve officers.