Do police labor unions have special protections in El Cerrito?

All internal investigations in El Cerrito comply with section 3300 of the California Government Code. This means that officers are afforded some procedural guarantees when they are the subject of an investigation. The section outlines employer requirements, such as allowing an officer to have a representative present, telling an officer the nature of an internal investigation, and restricting how many people can ask questions during an interrogation. These protections are required by law and are also extended to all ECPD employees because they provide reasonable guidelines for how an investigation should be conducted.

The labor contract for law enforcement in El Cerrito does not require binding arbitration. This means that employees can not require the use of an arbitrator if they disagree with the outcome of an investigation or recommended discipline.

Some have asked why officers continue to be paid while they are under investigation. This is because the state requires that agencies afford employees “due process” before terminating their employment. An investigation is considered one of these “due process” systems.

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1. What is the role of the District Attorney? Why doesn’t the Police Department choose not to prosecute arrested defendants?
2. What is “Broken Windows” policing theory? Is this the policing philosophy of the ECPD?
3. What types of oversight and accountability mechanisms are in place in El Cerrito?
4. What is the complaint process? How can I make a complaint?
5. Does the ECPD use militarized equipment?
6. Is the City evaluating other ways to respond to mental health and homeless incidents?
7. Does the ECPD engage in De-Escalation, Racial Profiling, and Implicit Bias training?
8. How does the ECPD policy match up to Use of Force change campaigns?
9. How does Asset Forfeiture work?
10. Do police labor unions have special protections in El Cerrito?
11. How has the City reduced funding to the Police Department?
12. Why isn’t El Cerrito listed on the California Police Scorecard?
13. Does El Cerrito have a drone program?