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. [1] 

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 Assembly Bill 89 Modern Policing Degree Task Force Report and Recommendations (PDF)
2023

This report by the Assembly Bill 89 Taskforce is presented to the Board of Governors and the Legislature. The Taskforce was comprised of 14 members representing a diversity of community college faculty and administrators, law enforcement professionals, and stakeholders including representatives from the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), student services leaders, and non-profit/community based organizations to generate recommendations for developing the degree program.

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 

AB 89 Task Force Meeting Dates and Time(s)

AB 89 Task Force Deliverables 

By June 1, 2023, the Chancellor's Office, in consultation with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, shall submit a report on recommendations set forth by the Task Force to the Legislature outlining a plan to implement the new policing degree program. If you have any suggestions or questions, please contact Dean LaCandice Ochoa.

Resources

• Bill Text & Information
• Bill Author, Assemblymember Jones-Sawyer
• Comments & Questions