Bill > AB400

This bill requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), by July 1, 2028, to conduct a comprehensive study and issue recommendations to the California Legislature regarding the use of police canines. The study must address several key areas, including ensuring that canine use respects the life, dignity, and liberty of all individuals without bias, and establishing standards for various aspects of canine deployment. Specific focus areas include appropriate patrol uses (such as obedience, search, and apprehension), detection uses (like odor detection and control), and factors for evaluating canine use of force incidents. The bill emphasizes that law enforcement officers should carry out canine-related duties fairly and without prejudice, and must consider public safety for both suspects and the canine handler. The recommendations will need to address how to provide warnings to suspects during potential canine deployments and include strategies to keep all parties safe. The bill is temporary, with the new provisions set to be automatically repealed on July 1, 2031, and the report must be submitted in compliance with government reporting requirements.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB400