Existing law for the requirement of first aid training is covered under Penal Code 13518, Health and Safety Code 1797.183, and CCR Title 22.  The authority for overseeing course content and regulations of public safety first aid (First Aid/CPR/AED) is the Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA).  Initial public safety first aid training, as required by Title 22, is currently taught in the Basic Course as LD 34 with a minimum 21 instructional hours.

In 2015, EMSA updated the Public Safety First Aid course to add significant additional content, causing POST to expend considerable resources in updating the course curriculums, instructor training, workbooks and testing specifications.  First aid training in the Basic Course receives dual certifications, from both POST and EMSA, with EMSA as the overriding authority.

Currently there is a compelling need for a greater infusion of principled policing/de-escalation training in the Basis Course. Additionally, a recent POST survey of agencies quantified a strong desire for rifle training to be included within the Basic Course. POST regulation 1005(i) states that every peace officer shall satisfactorily complete the POST-certified 16 hour minimum Rifle Course in order to possess a long or short barrel rifle in the course and scope of their duties.

Existing law does not require POST to provide First Aid/CPR/AED training in the Basic Course, only to ensure the training has been received prior to an individual achieving their POST Basic Certificate. In reviewing applicable sections of the Penal Code 13518; Health and Safety Code 1797.183; and Code of Regulations Title 22, our analysis concludes that Public Safety First Aid may be completed before, during, or after the Regular Basic Course (RBC), Specialized Investigators’ Basic Course (SIBC), or Basic Course Module III.  Penal Code 13518 requires this training to meet the standards as prescribed by EMSA and completed as a course of training leading to a Basic Certificate.

Currently, LD 34 is reviewed and approved through the Basic Course certification process. First aid refresher and update courses are also certified by POST staff.  Nevertheless, EMSA is the regulatory authority as to the certification of these courses, testing, and requirements for training instructors.  After consulting with EMSA administrators, they do not see any conflict with Title 22 regulation if LD 34 was removed from the academy and made either a prerequisite or provided post-academy. As long as the training is provided by an EMSA certified provider prior to initial duty or within one year of initial employment, the training requirement, as outlined in Title 22, has been met.

The removal of LD 34 from the Basic Course would allow the existing 21 hours of minimum course content to be replaced by other essential training topics with an identified need for inclusion in the Basic Course, those being principled policing/de-escalation and rifle training.

The Basic Training Bureau has been working to achieve a greater infusion of principled policing/de-escalation training into various existing learning domains within the Basis Course and these efforts include holding workshops with various subject matter experts and community stakeholders such as the ACLU and NAACP. Nonetheless, staff has concluded that there is a compelling need to create a new “stand alone” learning domain specific to this topic.

POST has also identified a need to add rifle instruction to LD 35 Firearms. POST recently surveyed agencies and academies regarding the use of patrol rifles and shotguns and related training needs. Out of the 221 agency respondents, 219 (99%) reported they use patrol rifles and 187 (85%) continue to use shotguns as well.  Currently LD 35 Firearms only includes handgun and shotgun training. Out of the 74 academy respondents, 67 (90.5%) reported they have received requests for patrol rifle training. All 74 respondents reported agencies in their region use rifles in patrol operations.  These results demonstrate a quantifiable need for patrol rifle training to be included at the basic training level.