(a) No later than January 1, 2023, the Governor shall establish the Peace Officer Standards Accountability Advisory Board, hereafter referred to in this chapter as the board.

(b) The purpose of the board shall be to make recommendations on the decertification of peace officers to the commission.

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(c) The protection of the public and all constitutional and statutory rights shall be the highest priority for the board as it upholds the standards for peace officers in California.

(d) The board shall consist of nine members, as follows:

(1) One member shall be a peace officer or former peace officer with substantial experience at a command rank, appointed by the Governor.

(2) One member shall be a peace officer or former peace officer with substantial experience at a management rank in internal investigations or disciplinary proceedings of peace officers, appointed by the Governor.

(3) Two members shall be members of the public, who shall not be former peace officers, who have substantial experience working at nonprofit or academic institutions on issues related to police accountability. One of these members shall be appointed by the Governor and one by the Speaker of the Assembly.

(4) Two members shall be members of the public, who shall not be former peace officers, who have substantial experience working at community-based organizations on issues related to police accountability. One of these members shall be appointed by the Governor and one by the Senate Rules Committee.

(5) Two members shall be members of the public, who shall not be former peace officers, with strong consideration given to individuals who have been subject to wrongful use of force likely to cause death or serious bodily injury by a peace officer, or who are surviving family members of a person killed by the wrongful use of deadly force by a peace officer, appointed by the Governor.

(6) One member shall be an attorney, who shall not be a former peace officer, with substantial professional experience involving oversight of peace officers, appointed by the Governor.

(e) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (f), each member shall be appointed for a term of three years and shall hold office until the appointment of the member’s successor or until one year has elapsed since the expiration of the term for which the member was appointed, whichever occurs first. Vacancies occurring shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired term of a person with the same qualification for appointment as the person being replaced. No person shall serve more than two terms consecutively. The Governor shall remove from the board any peace officer member whose certification as a peace officer has been revoked. The Governor may, after hearing, remove any member of the board for neglect of duty or other just cause.

(f) Of the members initially appointed to the board, three shall be appointed for a term of one year, three for a term of two years, and three for a term of three years. Successor appointments shall be made pursuant to subdivision (e).

(g) The Governor shall designate the chair of the board from among the members of the board. The person designated as the chair shall serve as chair of the board at the pleasure of the Governor. The board shall annually select a vice chair from among its members. A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum.

(h) Each member of the board shall receive a per diem of three hundred fifty dollars ($350) for each day actually spent in the discharge of official duties, including any required training and reasonable time spent in preparation for public hearings, and shall be reimbursed for travel and other expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of official duties. Upon request of a member based on financial necessity, the commission shall arrange and make direct payment for travel or other necessities rather than providing reimbursement.

(i) All members of the board shall complete a 40-hour decertification training course, as developed by the commission, which shall include, but not be limited to, subjects regarding the decertification process, internal investigations, evidentiary standards, use of force standards and training, and local disciplinary processes.

(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 409, Sec. 9. (SB 2) Effective January 1, 2022.)