State Department Developmental Services Police

[Interceptor77]

Just wanted to know if anyone knows something about this agency. I have heard they are peace officer status and can carry off duty. I am thinking of applying but I heard that you cannot carry on duty.

[nobody33]

Assuming thats California... last i heard they are unarmed at both Patton and Lanterman. The Patton ones only have a PC832 cert, and no academy. Not real police work. More like hospital guards, but with crazy people instead of injured.

[Interceptor77]

I was told by a recruiter that they now require POST (Basic) and dont take 832 anymore. Also he stated that they have peace officer powers on and off duty.

[Mikeyg76]

look at Penal code sections 830.1 to 832.16 or whatever it goes to, it will let you know who can do what and when. Local PD's and Sheriff's are 830.1, Some CA state agency's like CHP, ABC, Univesity Police are 830.2 which allows them to make ANY criminal arrest in the state on or off duty, then comes 830.3 which include DMV investigators, DOI, etc.. They can make any case in the state as long as it is under their scope or is a major felony on of off duty. So just check in out and you will get an Idea

[Mikeyg76]

I went ahead and did research for you

830.38. The officers of a state hospital under the jurisdiction of
the State Department of Mental Health or the State Department of
Developmental Services appointed pursuant to Section 4313 or 4493 of
the Welfare and Institutions Code, are peace officers whose authority
extends to any place in the state for the purpose of performing
their primary duty or when making an arrest pursuant to Section 836
as to any public offense with respect to which there is immediate
danger to person or property, or of the escape of the perpetrator of
that offense, or pursuant to Section 8597 or 8598 of the Government
Code provided that the primary duty of the peace officers shall be
the enforcement of the law as set forth in Sections 4311, 4313, 4491,
and 4493 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. Those peace officers
may carry firearms only if authorized and under terms and conditions
specified by their employing agency.

hope this helps

[PhilipCal]

Sounds very much like a "Scope of Employment" issue. Take any action outside of that "scope", and you're probably going to be very much on your own.

[L-1]

You will work in uniform and drive a marked police vehicle on, or adjacent to the hospital grounds However you will be unarmed, so if you come across an armed felon, you will only have your bare fists with which to take him into custody or to defend yourself.

Your peace officer authority extends to anywhere in the state for a crime committed on the hospital grounds. Like all California peace officers, you also have authority anywhere in the state for a crime committed in your presence, irrespective of whether it was on hospital grounds or 100 miles away. However, because the hospital is paying you to protect them, you will catch a lot of heat for expending hospital resources to make arrests in someone else's jurisdiction when it has nothing to do with protecting the hospital.

Finally, your Chief will answer to the hospital administrator. Because administrators are responsible for everything that goes on at their hospitals, they traditionally have no reservations about telling their police how to do their job, even though the administrators have no experience or training in police work As a result, it may not be unusual for you to be asked to look the other way on certain violations or to be disciplined for taking a valid police action, just because it upset the administrator. As an example, several years back a mental patient escaped from Atascadero State Hospital, hijacked a vehicle and tried to run down a hospital police officer in the parking lot At the time, Atascadero was one of the few hospitals that allowed their officers to be armed and the officer shot at the vehicle in self defense as it tried to run him down The officer was fired because the hospital administrator didn't feel it was appropriate to shoot, simply because the patient was trying to kill him The officer's termination was later overturned and in his decision, the Administrative Law Judge commented that he couldn't understand what kind of a message the hospital administrator was trying to send to its police officers by firing one simply for defending his life.

[sgttom]

what L-1 said...


the developmental "peace officers" all require a basic POST academy / POST basic to get in.

you are unarmed while on duty. You can carry off duty and their is qualification for this. Part of the explanation is that, well - you work around different type of clientele (handicapped - mentally, physically, developmentally disabled, etc.) side note: I recall going to the local juvenile rehabilitation / counseling (mental ward) and though I am fully armed and all that, I had to, by their policy, to secure my weapon before I entered to handle a disturbance.

I am told there is action taking place to allow them to be armed, while on duty as well with the say so by that faciliteis administrator.

there are other facilities that still on require a PC 832 to get in - but that's changing too...(to full basic academy).

it's a start. there's a lot of OT from what I understand...

[Interceptor77]

Thanks L1 for the information you provided. I recently took a visit and ride-along at the Costa Mesa location and I have to say you wre right on many aspects. First, let me say that the officer I was riding with was a great guy with allot of useful information about his department.
There are some pros and cons about the department:
Pros,
*Flexible Locations you can work
*You are pretty much on your own on your shift
*Very quiet place
*Allot of overtime
Cons,
*Cannot carry a firearm (on duty)
*You have to answer to Hispital Administrators
*Pay is pretty low

Overall I came to a understanding that it is more like Security work and It can be good for Academy Graduates to hone in there skills at a slow pace.
I turned in my application and most likely take part in the interviews in June or July.

[L-1]

I hope it works out for you. But just remember, being "pretty much on your own on your shift" translates to no back up. Inside the buildings there will probably be psych techs who will jump in if you get in a jam. However, outside the buildings and elsewhere on the grounds, or on the adjacent city streets, you will be pretty much be on your own. Best of luck.

[Interceptor77]

Well, I took my oral interview yesterday and have to say that it was the strangest one i have took. First, I noticed that it only took 10 mins, Second, they just asked 6 questions and didnt want to hear anything about you or even a closing statement. I just answered the questions and I was told I will get something in the mail with my score. L-1 do you have any insight about their method?

[L-1]

Well, I took my oral interview yesterday and have to say that it was the strangest one i have took. First, I noticed that it only took 10 mins, Second, they just asked 6 questions and didnt want to hear anything about you or even a closing statement. I just answered the questions and I was told I will get something in the mail with my score. L-1 do you have any insight about their method?

In some orals you may be asked to tell the board about yourself, your work experience, education, goals, family, etc. Usually, you are not rated on your answers to these questions because there is no quantifiable way to award points for life experience. Instead, the purpose is simply to get you to relax and be comfortable with the board. The problem is, asking non-scorable questions is inappropriate from an EEO point of view. It opens the exam process to allegations of favoritism and discrimination (i.e., you chose a less qualified candidate over me because he has a family to feed and I am single, or he shares your hobby and I don't). In short, if a question is not a scorable part of the exam, it should not be asked.

In order to ensure its exams are fair and merit based, the State of California conducts what are called "Structured Orals". Each candidate is asked (and judged on their answers to) the same, exact questions and you are scored on how many elements of a correct answer you give. That's it. They are not supposed to look at resumes, listen to opening or closing statements, or score you on anything but your answers to their questions.

When you eliminate all the warm and fuzzy social niceties and stick strictly to business, an oral only takes about 10 minutes. That's it. No flowers, no candy, no kiss goodnight. (G)

[Interceptor77]

L-1,

I have passed my first Oral interview and ranked 2nd on the list , with a score of 92. I have also recieved a letter stating that i need to come in for a department interview,where I will be asked situational questions and scored on my responses. Is this normal to have 2 oral interviews? Can this be the "important interview" telling them if I should be hired? The top 5 people on the list are all in my class and the seargent stated that he was impressed with Rio Hondo Cadets. There are currently 5 full time spots open and allot of part time also. Any insight would be great.

[SoCalFed]

Not to second guess your choice, but there alot of other agencies in Southern California which are hiring that will give you experience the hospital can't. Rio Hondo is a good academy (I have attended some classes over there) and I know agencies from all over come there to recruit the folks who put themselves through. A few really good agencies like LAX/LAWA PD, CSU and UCPD come to mind. All are non-traditional, but are great police agencies where you will get REAL police experience and have the tools (i.e. armed) you need to do your job from the get go....

[Stare]

*You are pretty much on your own on your shift

That is not a Pro. That is a Con.

Overall I came to a understanding that it is more like Security work and It can be good for Academy Graduates to hone in there skills at a slow pace.

If anything I think you would lose your skills because you wouldnt be exposed to near the things you would at a real department.