Specialized Training Requirements

Peace officers in the State of California may perform a variety of unique duties or be assigned to specialized areas during employment with a law enforcement agency. Officers may be required to attend specialized training to perform those unique duties or to participate in specialized assignments during employment with an agency. POST has created a quick reference document to assist the field in locating Legislative Mandated Training requirements for specialized duties officers may be required to perform while on duty with an agency.

Disclaimer: This document is intended for use as a quick reference. Its purpose is not regulatory. For complete Legislative Mandated Training requirements refer to the appropriate law section provided for each requirement.

Table containing Specialized Training Requirements
Training Topic Training Participation / Responsibility * Update/Refresher Training

PC 832.1

Airport Security Personnel

POST Course Title:

"Aviation Security"

REQUIRED

*Airport officer.

REQUIRED

Completion of a course of training relative to airport security within 90 days of employment.

PC 13517

Child Abuse Or Neglect

POST Course Title:

"Child Abuse Investigation"

VOLUNTARY

*Investigation specialists.

VOLUNTARY

PC 831(c)/831.5(c)

Custodial

Officers

REQUIRED

*Custodial officer.

REQUIRED

Satisfactory completion of the training course as specified in Section 832 within 90 days of initial assignment to position.

----

Must satisfactorily meet minimum selection & training standards prescribed by Board of Corrections pursuant to Section 6035 within 1 year following the date of initial assignment to that position.

PC 629.94

Electronic Surveillance

REQUIRED

*Investigative or law enforcement officers; other persons as designated.

REQUIRED

Certification and Minimum standards as set by the AG.

PC 13515.55

High Technology Crimes & Computer Seizure

POST Course Title:

"High Technology Crimes"

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT

*Every city police officer or deputy sheriff at a supervisory level.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT

Every city police officer or deputy sheriff at a supervisory level assigned field or investigative duties, or within 18 months of assignment to supervisory duties.

VC 40802 (c)(B)

Laser Operator

REQUIRED

*Arresting officer.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT

2 hours

(Pre-req: Radar Operator)

B&P 25755(d)

Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team

(ABC)

POST Course Titles:

"Narcotics Investigation Course"

"Narcotics Investigation Field Training Program"

REQUIRED

*Any agent assigned to the Drug Enforcement Narcotics Team.

REQUIRED

For ABC

Four week course on narcotics enforcement

VC 40802 (c)(A)

Radar Operator

REQUIRED

*Arresting officer

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT

24 hours

PC 832.2

School Police Reserve Officer

POST Course Title:

"Campus Law Enforcement Course"

REQUIRED

*School police reserve officer.

REQUIRED

Completion of a course of training relating directly to the role of school police reserve officers within 2 years of appointment.

PC 832.3(f)

School Police Officer

Employed by a K-12 public school district or California community college.

REQUIRED

*School police officer.

REQUIRED

Successful completion of a basic course of training before exercising powers of a peace officer; and successful completion of the specialized course of training within 2 years of the date of first employment (if employed after 7-1-99).

PC 832.3 (g)&(h)

School Peace Officer

POST Course Title:

"Campus Law Enforcement Course"

REQUIRED

*School peace officer.

REQUIRED

Successful completion of a specialized course of training of school peace officers.

PC 13516

Sexual Assault Investigative Procedures

POST Course Title:

"Sexual Assault Investigation"

REQUIRED

*Officers

SPECIALIZED REQUIREMENT

Successful completion of training within 6 months of assignment to investigation duties which include the handling of cases involving the sexual exploitation or sexual abuse of children.

PC 832.3(a)

Sheriff & Police Officer

REQUIRED

*Sheriff, undersheriff, or deputy sheriff of a county; any police officer of a city or district authorized by statute to maintain a police department; police chief.

REQUIRED

Successful completion of a course of training before exercising the powers of a peace officer.

PC 831.4(c)

Sheriff's Security Officers

REQUIRED

*Each sheriff's or police security officer.

REQUIRED

Satisfactory completion of the training course as specified in Section 832 prior to being assigned to perform their duties.

PC 33220 (b)

Regulation 1081 - see note

Long/Short Barrel Rifles

POST Course Title:

"Rifle Course Part II"

REQUIRED

*The training requirement for short barrel rifles is in Penal Code section 33220(b) and applies to peace officer members of a police department, sheriff's office, marshal's office, CHP, and DOJ.

Note: The training requirement for long barrel rifles is in Regulation 1081 and applies to peace officer members of agencies that participate in the POST program.

REQUIRED

When use is authorized by the agency and within the course & scope of duties …

PC 22820

Tear Gas and/or Tear Gas Weapon

Peace Officers

And

Custodial Officers

POST Course Title:

"Chemical Agents for Peace Officers"

REQUIRED

*Any person who is a peace officer.

SPECIALIZED REQUIREMENT

Satisfactory completion of a course of instruction.

PC 22835

Tear Gas and/or Tear Gas Weapon

Chemical Agent Training for Private Investigators, Private Patrol Operators, and Uniformed Patrol Employees of a Private Patrol Operator

REQUIRED

*A person has satisfactory completion of a course of instruction approved by the Department of

Consumer Affairs in the use of tear gas.

REQUIRED

PC 13519.12 Emergency Response Training Advisory Committee

POST Course Title:

"Law Enforcement Response to Terrorism" (LERT)

~Includes IS 700/800, ICS 100/200~

POST Course Title:

"Public Safety Communications Terrorism Awareness Course" (PSC-TAC)

Law Enforcement Agencies

Instructors must complete the POST-certified 24-hour trainer course prior to the deliver or presentation of the of the 8-hour awareness course.

REQUIRED

Peace officers and 1st responders to terrorism incidents at the rank of lieutenant and below who are assigned to a field position.

Public safety communications personnel

PC 831.6(c)

Transportation Officer

REQUIRED

*Transportation officer.

REQUIRED

Satisfactory completion of the training course as specified in Section 832 prior to the transportation of any prisoner.

GC 8607

SEMS-

Standardized Emergency Management System (Disaster Response)

ICS 300/400

Federal (FEMA) Training Requirement

HSPD-5

REQUIRED

*All federal, state and local agencies must decide who, within their respective organization, should take this training.

REQUIRED

ICS 300

(Intermediate)

ICS 400

(Advanced)

PC 832.25

Welfare Fraud Investigators or Inspectors

REQUIRED

*All welfare fraud investigators or inspectors appointed as peace officers.

SPECIALIZED REQUIREMENT

Completion of a specialized investigators basic course within 1 year of hire.

Exemptions:

1-Appointment date prior to 1-1-01.

2-Possession of a valid Basic POST certificate

3-Successful completion of a POST certified regular basic course within 3 years prior to appointment.

Continuing Professional Training Requirement

Every peace officer (other than a Level III Reserve Peace Officer), Public Safety Dispatcher, and Public Safety Dispatch Supervisor shall satisfactorily complete the CPT requirement of 24 or more hours of POST-qualifying training during every two-year CPT cycle. Effective January 1, 2002, certain peace officers in specific duty assignments must satisfy a portion of the CPT requirement by completing Perishable Skills and Communications training.

Perishable Skills/Communications Requirement for CPT

Effective January 1, 2002, all peace officers (except reserve officers) below the middle management position and assigned to patrol, traffic, or investigation who routinely effect the physical arrest of criminal suspects are required to complete Perishable Skills and Communications training.

Perishable Skills Program (PSP)

Perishable Skills Program consists of 12 hours of psychomotor, 2 hours of communications, and 4 hours of use of force training every 24 months.

  • Category I - Tactical Firearms - 4 hour minimum
  • Category II - Driver Training/Awareness - 4 hour minimum
  • Category III - Arrest & Control - 4 hour minimum
  • Category IV - Strategic Communications - 2 hour minimum
  • Category V - Use of Force - 4 hour minimum

Courses in each of the above categories must include the specified minimum topics and exercises and meet the stated course objectives to qualify for the PSP program.  All minimum topics and course objectives may be found in Commission Regulation 1005(d).

It is recommended that managers and executives complete, within their two-year compliance cycle, two hours of CPT devoted to updates in the perishable skills topical areas enumerated above.