Senator Dahle’s legislation to Back Law Enforcement and Help Victims of Crime VETOED by Governor

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – To help address law enforcement staffing challenges and support victims of crime Senator Brian Dahle (R-Bieber) authored Senate Bill (SB) 804. Despite the bill receiving bipartisan support from both Houses, the Governor chose to veto the critical bill.

SB 804 would’ve allowed Community Service Officers (CSOs) to give hearsay testimony in court, and often act as a bridge between victims and law enforcement. Allowing CSOs to perform hearsay testimony would enable law enforcement to properly utilize its limited resources.

Additionally, SB 804 would’ve prevented victims from being forced to relive past trauma by being interviewed a second time. The measure was sponsored by the Redding Chief of Police, and co-sponsored by the California Police Chiefs Association.

“I’m deeply disappointed that the Governor vetoed this significant measure. As police departments receive less funding, even with rising crime, efficiency is more important than ever,” stated Dahle. “Not to mention that by vetoing this bill, the Governor is sending a clear message that victims don’t matter. He continues to close prisons and protect criminals.”

Furthermore, a recent article from CalMatters points out that although the state’s population has grown by nearly 10 million since the early ‘90s, California’s sworn patrol officers staffing levels have dropped below where they were in 1991 citing an alarming report from the Public Policy Institute of California.

Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett stated in a letter of support:

Passage of SB 804 would cure an ever-growing problem faced by law enforcement and District Attorney Offices; protecting victims when resources are spread thin. Under the law as currently written, if a law enforcement agency chooses to use non-sworn law enforcement employees to take a police report on a felony crime, my office, along with other District Attorney’s offices throughout the State, must either call the victim of a crime to the stand to testify at a preliminary hearing or request to have a sworn law enforcement officer from the referring agency re-investigate an otherwise fully investigated case to meet the requirements under Penal Code § 872… In effect, this system re-victimizes a crime victim and penalizes them for having reported a crime.

Click HERE to read the full letter of support.

Senator Brian Dahle Press Release