Peace officer: firearms.

Existing law designates various persons as peace officers, including probation officers, parole officers, and parole agents, and provides that their authority extends to certain duties, including to the conditions of parole, probation, or postrelease community supervision of a person in the state on parole, probation, or postrelease community supervision, the escape of an inmate or ward from a state or local institution, the transportation of persons on parole, probation, or postrelease community supervision, and violations of law that are discovered while performing his or her duties. Existing law categorizes a probation officer as a peace officer who may carry firearms only if authorized by his or her employing agency, and under the terms and conditions specified by his or her employing agency. This bill would require the chief probation officer of each county to train and arm those probation officers and deputy probation officers who are assigned supervision of persons on probation or postrelease community supervision that are deemed high risk. The bill would require every county probation department to promulgate regulations consistent with these provisions. By imposing new duties on counties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.