Summary
SB-1122 makes important continuity changes to higher education requirements for peace officers and allows for more flexibility in the timeline to complete their education.
Background
AB-89 (2021) created the Peace Officers Education and Age Conditions for Employment (PEACE) Act. Among other changes, this bill created education requirements for peace officers in the state and called for a study on the implementation of a Modern Policing Degree program and increased the minimum age to be a peace officer from 18 years of age to 21. The California Community College Chancellor’s office convened a task force to report on recommendations for the creation of the Modern Policing Degree. AB-89 requires that the Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) adopt the recommendations published in October 2023, within two years.
Currently, the ratio of patrol officers per 100,000 Californians reached its lowest rate since 1991 with the state’s 10 largest departments all seeing decreases varying from 5% to 20%. These changes come at a time violent crime and robbery are up 26.4% from 2014. Since 2012, POST has certified an average of 3,200 officers each year. This means the applicant has completed a POST academy, a field training program, and a probationary period as an employee with a hiring agency usually under the guidance of a more experienced officer. The administration’s campaign to recruit 1,000 new CHP officers has kicked the CHP Academy in Sacramento into overdrive. Graduating classes of around 100 new law enforcement officers build towards California’s 6,600 CHP ranks, a small but powerful force in California’s approximately 115,000 sworn officers.
As new requirements for law enforcement education are enforced, maximum flexibility in completing the degree is imperative. Many POST academies have working relationships with local community colleges and enhancing this relationship is key. Completing POST requirements is difficult and investing the time and finances to get a specialized Modern Policing Degree is a decision candidates should have the flexibility to make after completing the other requirements to be a police officer.
Proposal
SB-1122 clarifies a provision in the PEACE Act regarding education requirements for POST certification may be completed after the completion of other requirements for POST certification.