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The Modern Policing Degree Task Force

California Assembly Bill 89, or The Peace Officers Education and Age Conditions for Employment Act of California, was authored by Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer and signed into legislation in 2022. The bill was a direct response to the heightened interest in decreasing officer use of force and an increase of scientific evidence proving that certain areas of the brain, particularly those affecting judgment and decision-making, do not develop until the early to mid-20s. The legislation raises the age limit to be a peace officer in California from 18 to 21 and requires that new officers have a bachelor’s degree.  

The Chancellor’s Office has been a leading voice in the state with respect to police education and training. The California Community Colleges trains most law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMTs in California, with more than 100 colleges offering courses in the administration of justice. 

Moreover, after the murder of George Floyd, the Chancellor’s Office announced a “Call to Action” that called for our system to actively strategize and take action against structural racism. Since then, our system has organized trainings on police accountability initiatives led by state and national leaders on modern policing practices and recently released a new report: “Call to Action: Reimagining Campus Policing Task Force Recommendations.” Finally, given our governance and institutional flexibility, we are well equipped to respond to the needs of the community and can share lessons learned and best practices across our 116 colleges quickly and efficiently.

 California AB 89 Task Force

 The first step in developing the new degree program is the formation of a task force that will guide these efforts. The Chancellor’s Office reviewed the stakeholder groups identified in AB 89 and received input from our partners at RTI International, an independent, nonprofit research institute with a specialized justice research and policy focus area. With guidance from RTI International, the Chancellor’s Office also identified statewide organizations necessary to fulfill the requirements of the legislation. The following is a list of groups participating on the task force:

Academic Senate for California Community Colleges 
Peace Officers Standards and Training 
California Police Chiefs Association
Peace Officers Research Association of California
California State University Faculty and Administration
California Association of Community College Registrars and Admissions Officers
California Community Colleges Chief Instructional Officers Organization
California State University Chancellor’s Office
Student Senate for California Community Colleges
The Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform
Urban Peace Institute
Chief Student Services officer / VP of student services
Association of Chief Human Resource Officers 

Registration

Register for the May 12, 2023 AB 89 Task Force Meeting at  https://foundationccc-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-x4mzXpER3inljtlZs8m8Q

Register for the April 10, 2023 AB 89 Task Force Meeting at https://rtiorg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JkXQYZRxT0WU0ucte8Kj4Q