Police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in Fresno, California
| Police hiring, training, and discipline |
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This page provides an overview of policies related to the hiring, training, and discipline of police officers in Fresno, Calif. It is part of an analysis of police union collective bargaining agreements and related arrangements with police unions concerning hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in the 50 states and top 100 cities by population.
Background
Ballotpedia in 2023 examined the collective bargaining agreements, statutes, and regulatory codes governing the 50 states and the top 100 US cities by population through the lens of a series of research questions related to police hiring, training, and discipline.
Some of the hiring, training, and discipline standards for police officers not established by statutes or regulations arise from negotiations with police unions. Those negotiations are often codified in collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). Those agreements are the contracts that states and cities sign following negotiations with police unions. Some states and cities restrict collective bargaining, but may still negotiate with police unions using other methods. After negotiating with the unions, those jurisdictions sometimes establish police standards through documents including memoranda of understanding or meet and confer agreements.
Results
The tables below link to each question Ballotpedia used to analyze the states and cities and indicate how Fresno handles police hiring, training, and discipline. To see the provisions Ballotpedia used to support these results, click here.
CBA basics
| CBA basics | Results |
|---|---|
| Is there a CBA with the police union? | YES |
| Is the current CBA publicly available online? | YES |
Discipline and accountability
| Discipline and accountability | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA forbid the transfer or reassignment of an officer as a form of discipline? | NO |
| Do officers have a right to request third-party arbitration for grievances, including over disciplinary actions? | YES |
Condition: May request arbitration within 15 calendar days of receiving a final order of disciplinary action Selection: Parties must mutually agree on a panel of seven arbitrators Provider: The list of arbitrators is provided by the California State Mediation and Conciliation Service Authority of arbitrator: The arbitrator regulates the hearing, establishes the time and place, and their decision is final, only to be challenged under the California Arbitration ActA final order of disciplinary action, under this MOU, includes action "resulting in a termination, demotion, or suspension of one hundred-twenty (120) hours or more." Members also have an option to appeal punitive action through an administrative hearing procedure. | |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to discipline for misconduct? | YES |
Primary discipline authority: Chief of Police; Types: Written reprimands, fines, suspensions, demotions, terminations, oral counseling, letters of counseling, oral reprimands, documented oral reprimands, transfer/reassignment; Restricted aspects: Reassignment as part of the disciplinary process must be to the same shift; Challenge/appeal process: Administrative hearing procedure; arbitration"Disciplinary action" includes written reprimands, fines, suspensions, demotions, or terminations. "Corrective action" includes oral counseling, letters of counseling, oral reprimands, and documented oral reprimands. According to a side agreement within the CBA, "Members may be subject to involuntary assignment as part of the disciplinary process." Members must be notified within 10 business days of punitive action. | |
| Does the CBA explicitly allow for a state ombudsman outside particular police departments to hold law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct? | NO |
Legal limitations or provisions
| Legal limitations or provisions | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the city CBA prohibit felons from becoming law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Are there any statutes or regulations that prohibit collective bargaining with police unions? | NO |
Training and counseling
Community relations and oversight
| Community relations and oversight | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA reference citizen review boards? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions related to community policing? | NO |
Investigations
| Investigations | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to misconduct investigations? | YES |
Disciplinary procedure through administrative hearing, timeline for response | |
| Does the CBA require notice to officers of investigations? | YES |
Conditions: Written notice; Timeline: 10 days before punitive action; Content: N/A | |
| Does the CBA determine a timeline for investigations? | NO |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to compensation during misconduct investigations? | NO |
Evidence and records
| Evidence and records | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA have provisions related to the use of body-worn cameras or body-worn camera video evidence? | NO |
| Does the CBA regulate processes for retaining officer disciplinary records? | NO |
Qualifications and evaluation
| Qualifications and evaluation | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA require performance evaluations? | YES |
Evaluations required annually, upon exit of position, and monthly during the probationary period Each piece of criteria is ranked 1-5; employee has 30 days to file written appeal | |
| Does the CBA restrict licensing procedures for law enforcement officers or departments? | NO |
Union authority
See also
Footnotes
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