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Inventory of the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training Records
R192
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Title: Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training Records
Dates: 1970-1992
Collection number: R192
Creator:
Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training
Collection Size:
7 cubic feet of textual and audiovisual records
Repository:
California State Archives
Sacramento, California
Abstract: The records of the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission consist of seven cubic feet of textual and audiovisual
records spanning the period from 1970-1992, which reflect the activities of the Commission as it worked to raise the level
of effectiveness of state law enforcement through improved selection and training standards.
Physical location: California State Archives
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
While the majority of the records are open for research, any access restrictions are noted in the record series descriptions.
For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the California State Archives. Permission for reproduction or publication
is given on behalf of the California State Archives as the owner of the physical items. The researcher assumes all responsibility
for possible infringement which may arise from reproduction or publication of materials from the California State Archives
collections.
[Identification of item], Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training Records, R192.[Series Number], [box and folder
number], California State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Sacramento, California.
Acquisition and Custodial History
The California State Archives acquired the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training Records according to state law.
In July 1959, Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown signed legislation creating the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training
within the California Department of Justice (Chapter 1823, Statutes of 1959). The Commission was the first such organization
in the United States, created to function as a special fund agency to develop and administer selection and training standards
for state law enforcement.
The Commission consists of peace officers from city police departments and county sheriff's offices and elected officials
from cities and counties. Charged with enhancing the professionalism of California law enforcement, the primary duties of
the Commission include assuring that sufficient resources are available to law enforcement to meet training and standards
needs; developing standards and guidelines for hiring peace officers; improving the quality and availability of training for
peace officers; and streamlining administrative procedures to reduce costs and increase the efficiency of operations at the
local and state level. The Commission also develops and certifies course curriculum and peace officer training courses, which
are provided through local community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, police academies, private trainers and
training centers.
Since its inception, programs administered by the Commission have been voluntary and incentive-based. Participating agencies
that abide by Commission rules and standards receive revenue and grants to and to cover the costs of administration and to
fund peace officer training. The Commission receives operating funds from the Peace Officer's Training Fund, which in turn
is supported by the State Penalty Assessment Fund. Therefore, the Commission is not supported by tax dollars, but by penalty
assessments on criminal and traffic fines.
The records of the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission consist of seven cubic feet of textual and audiovisual
records spanning the period from 1970-1992, which reflect the activities of the Commission as it worked to raise the level
of effectiveness of state law enforcement through improved selection and training standards. The record group is organized
into four series: Bill Files, Correspondence, Subject Files, and Training Program Files.
The bulk of the records pertain to developing and improving training programs for California peace officers. The majority
of the legislative measures present in the Bill Files series, for example, sought increased funding for peace officer training
and proposed new programs in the areas of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. The Training Program Files focus
solely on training program development, and include material related to the creation of courses in narcotics investigation,
traffic accident investigation, and bailiff and civil process training. The Subject Files will also be of help to researchers
interested in peace officer training program development. For example, the Commission created the Shooting Simulator Advisory
Committee to oversee the production of a "Shoot/Don't Shoot" training simulator to test "shooting judgment," or when to hold
fire. Files regarding shooting judgment contain a wide variety of materials including videocassettes, photographs, and publications.
Also present in the collection are the records of the Center for Police Management, an organization established within the
Commission in 1973 to streamline the administrative functions of local and state law enforcement. The Center for Police Management
records are organized into three series: Bill Files, Subject Files, and Research Study Files.
The majority of the material produced by the Center for Police Management demonstrates its' role within the Commission as
a resource for effective law enforcement management strategies. Within the files are studies, research projects, correspondence
and reports used by the Center for Police Management to provide local law enforcement agencies with managerial support and
solutions to administrative problems. For example, the Subject Files contain information on a 1978 'training needs assessment'
of local governments affected by Proposition 13, which reduced funding for city and county law enforcement agencies.
Further accruals are expected.
Related Collections at the California State Archives
California Council on Criminal Justice Records
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
California. Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training
Peace officers
Police training