Peace officers: minimum standards: bias evaluation.

(1) Existing law requires peace officers in this state to meet specified minimum standards, including, among other requirements, that peace officers be evaluated by a physician and surgeon or psychologist and found to be free from any physical, emotional, or mental condition that might adversely affect the exercise of the powers of a peace officer. This bill would require that evaluation to include bias against race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. Under existing law, the minimum education requirement for peace officers is high school graduation from a public school or other accredited high school, passing an equivalency test or high school proficiency examination, or attaining a 2-year, 4-year, or advanced degree from an accredited institution. Existing law requires accreditation to be from a state or local government educational agency, a regional accrediting association, an accrediting association recognized by the United States Department of Education, or an organization holding full membership in specified organizations, including AdvancED. This bill would revise the accreditation standards to include an organization holding full membership in Cognia. (2) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 1031 of the Government Code proposed by SB 960 to be operative only if this bill and SB 960 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (3) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.