In its continued effort to enhance the training and professionalism of Hospital Police Officers, on January 27, 2014, CSLEA and HPAC met with members of the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Training Delivery and Compliance Bureau. Attending the meeting from CSLEA was Legal Counsel Ryan Navarre. Attending from HPAC was President Luis Jimenez and NSH Officers Sergio Flores and Karl Johnson. Interim Chief John Rolin attended on behalf of Department of State Hospitals.
"It is imperative that our Hospital Police Officers are POST certified and trained," said CSLEA President Alan Barcelona. "These officers enforce the law as every other law enforcement officer in the State of California does. This is for the safety of the officers as well as hospital staff, patients and the communities in which the officers serve."
“The meeting we had with the representatives from POST and DSH Police Chief John Rolin at POST Headquarters in Sacramento went exceptionally well,” said HPAC President Luis Jimenez, “The topics of discussion were primarily in regards to the mandatory minimum POST training and hiring requirements that would be necessary for Hospital Police Officers working within the Department of State Hospitals to become a POST participating agency, as well as future minimum training and hiring requirements for our current officers, and officers hired after departmental participation is confirmed by the Commission. Although implementing this process would take some time, it was definitely made clear by all parties involved in this meeting that it is in our officers’ and the department’s best interest to take the steps necessary in becoming a POST participating agency. HPAC and CSLEA will continue to work with the Department and POST in order to provide any assistance and support we can in getting this process initiated and implemented for our Hospital Police Officers. I’d like to thank Napa State Hospital Police Officers Sergio Flores and Karl Johnson for initiating this meeting with POST Regional Training Consultant Gary Manini and DSH Police Chief John Rolin for his participation in this meeting as well. It is evident his training and experience in law enforcement provides him with the fundamental ability and insight of understanding what our officers need in terms of standardized training, as well as other law enforcement based requirements and essential operational functions from a Department of State Hospital Police Chief’s perspective.”
CSLEA and HPAC look forward to continuing to work with DSH in improving HPO training and have begun to work with the hospital police chiefs to evaluate and organize current HPO background files to avoid any obstacles should DSH ultimately decide to move toward a POST Basic certification for HPOs.
