Advocacy

The California Police Chiefs Association advocates to improve the law enforcement profession, promote public safety, and to bring forward the concerns of our 332 Municipal Police Departments in California. Working with our Board of Directors and Legislative Committee, CPCA takes a position on bills impacting public safety and law enforcement. Please see below for more information on our legislative platform and priorities, bill positions, press releases, and legal advocacy efforts. 

2024 Legislative Platform

Social justice and law enforcement reform remain one of the top issue areas for legislation. As such, CPCA continues to lead as a voice for balanced and reasonable policy changes, while rejecting reckless approaches that deteriorate public safety. The outline below builds upon the work accomplished over the last several years, while also elevating emerging issues as priorities for CPCA.

Retail Theft – Since its passage in 2014, Proposition 47 has created negative impacts on communities across California. Over recent years, these impacts have gotten worse, to the point we are seeing brazen smash-and-grab and ORT occurring in broad daylight. A general pervasive sense of low accountability for theft crimes has been a major contributing factor. CPCA will work with coalition partners to continue educating the public on the impacts of Proposition 47 and work collaboratively towards a legislative solution.

Repeat Offenders – There is a small population of habitual offenders causing a disproportionate amount of harm and crime within our communities. Too many examples exist of individuals arrested dozens of times without meeting consequences significant enough to alter their behavior (whether it is incarceration, rehabilitation, education, or a combination of each). CPCA will look for opportunities to push legislation to strengthen consequences against those repeat offenders causing so much damage.

Addressing consequences of Proposition 57 – The broad scope and authority Proposition 57 gave the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to release those convicted of serious felonies after only serving a fraction of their sentence has resulted in too many victims at the hands of dangerous individuals who should not have been released. For example, one of the individuals who participated in the 2022 mass shooting in downtown Sacramento was released early despite a lengthy violent record and a recent conviction for punching a girlfriend, dragging her from her home by her hair and whipping her with a belt. CPCA will support legislation to narrow the scope of Proposition 57 and add more transparency to the process whereby credits are awarded to inmates for early release.

Peace officers’ mental health and wellness – CPCA supports increased funding for programs identified to improve peace officer’s mental health and wellness, and resources to provide regular mental health and wellness checks for peace officers. CPCA also acknowledges the significant trauma experienced by emergency dispatchers and support efforts to provide them with adequate mental health services, as well.

Addressing loopholes in juvenile parole – The shift from the Department of Juvenile Justice to County Secure Youth Treatment Facilities (SYTF) created several unintended consequences. From parole procedures to sex-offender registration, there are glaring issues that threaten to let violent and dangerous offenders slip through the cracks by placing age consideration above safety. CPCA will look to identify the loopholes in our juvenile parole system and find solution to ensure we are not ignoring causes for concern, while maintaining a commitment to rehabilitation of youth offenders.

Recruitment and retention – Across all regions, recruitment and retention of qualified officers remains a persistent issue. CPCA supports all efforts to develop and recruit diverse police candidates, which includes reforms related to education and training.

Reforms outside of policing – A part of ongoing efforts to keep individuals out of the criminal justice system ahead of any police involvement, CPCA continues to support the following:

  • Support efforts to close educational achievement gaps by increasing resources to areas historically disadvantaged.
  • Support efforts to increase access to vocational training and job opportunities to those in lower socio-economic demographics.
  • Improve our response to those in crisis – individuals with severe mental illness and substance abuse disorders. Police are not always the appropriate response, and we should look to our service providers in many of these cases. When police do respond, they should be highly trained co-deployment teams with capabilities that match the need.
  • Support access to fair housing, which will create core stability for those in need.

CPCA Tracked Bills

View the most current information about the legislation CPCA is tracking at the Capitol.

All Tracked Bills All Supported Bills All Opposed Bills

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