Information provided by the Office of State Senator Anna Caballero.
Senate Bill 230, introduced by State Senator Anna Caballero (D-Salinas), unanimously passed the State Senate on May 29 on a 38-0 vote. Co-authors of the bill include State Senators Bob Archuleta, Andreas Borgeas, Bill Dodd, Cathleen Galgiani, Steve Glazer, Jerry Hill, Brian Jones, Mike Morrell, and Jeff Stone, as well as State Assemblymembers Jim Cooper, Jim Frazier, Adam Gray, Tim Grayson, Evan Low, Patrick O’Donnell, Sharon Quirk-Silva, James Ramos, Robert Rivas, Freddie Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, and Rudy Salas.
If made into law, SB 230 would require every law enforcement officer to be trained in techniques to reduce the need for deadly force, require law enforcement agencies to maintain policies that provide guidelines on use of force, as well as make the use of force policies accessible to the public. The bill now moves on to the State Assembly.
“We heard loud and clear that there was a need to modernize the use of force law and training standards. This bill would place California at the forefront with legislation that fundamentally changes the culture in many departments, and will protect both the public and police officers as they do their duties,” Caballero said.
According to a recent press release, SB 230 is expected to build on California’s rigorous officer training requirements by establishing a minimum standard on the use of force for all law enforcement agencies throughout the state. This bill requires new evidence-based policies and procedures for utilizing de-escalation techniques, implicit and explicit bias and cultural competency training, reasonable alternatives to deadly force, interacting with vulnerable populations, and a new duty for officers to intercede and report if they witness the use of excessive force.
“SB 230 makes fundamental changes to how law enforcement officers interact with the public and the tactics that they use to get cooperation. This culture shift will pave the way to restoring the public trust and mutual respect that is so desperately needed,” Caballero said. “I would like to thank Assemblymember Weber, Pro Tem Atkins, Speaker Rendon, and Governor Newsom for their help and assistance in crafting solutions.”
Senator Anna M. Caballero represents the 12th Senate District, composed of Merced and San Benito Counties, the Salinas Valley, and portions of Fresno, Madera, and Stanislaus Counties.