POST to research mandatory K‑9 standards as Assembly bill AB 400 advances; ACLU urges firmer limits on bite tactics

POST staff told commissioners Thursday that, after late‑2024 revisions to statewide K‑9 guidance, the agency will evaluate whether mandatory minimum standards for handlers, trainers and programs are needed.

Management Counseling and Projects LEC Michael Dallas briefed the commission on workshops held with subject‑matter experts and recommended that POST conduct a comprehensive review of training, certification, deployment documentation and evaluation standards for canine programs. Dallas said the updated guidance published in late 2024 underscores the need for consistent statewide standards because current guidance is nonbinding and programs differ widely across agencies.

“My purpose here is to inform the commission that POST proposes to conduct a research of all existing documentation and training and identify mandatory minimum training standards as they’re outlined in the guidelines,” Dallas said.

Dallas tied the workshop recommendations to Assembly Bill 400, which was advancing in the Legislature at the time of the meeting. AB 400 proposes handler training requirements, reporting for apprehension incidents and a mandate that POST‑approved K‑9 training courses be completed within six months of assignment. Dallas said the bill “represents a significant step toward uniformity and transparency in canine operations.”

During public comment earlier in the meeting, George Brampathu of ACLU California Action criticized POST’s draft K‑9 guidance as repeating policies the legislature had previously rejected. Brampathu said some agency policies that mirror POST’s draft led to high numbers of deployments that were not defensive in nature—for example, deployments against people who were intoxicated or had mental‑health crises. He asked how and when POST would update the K‑9 guidance to address “find‑and‑bite” and “bite‑and‑hold” tactics.

Commissioners and staff discussed the need to reconcile training standards with evolving legislation and to provide the commission and the public access to the earlier and current versions of the guidance. Commissioner Bridal urged that the commission see prior versions before finalizing policies. POST staff agreed to email commissioners the 2014 guidelines and the current guidance and to return in September with a more robust discussion and the subject matter experts who helped draft AB 400.

Why it matters: K‑9 deployments raise high civil‑liberties and use‑of‑force concerns when dogs are used to detain or bite people who are not presenting an immediate threat. Legislative interest (AB 400) indicates state lawmakers want standardization and reporting; POST’s work to research mandatory minimums could be the basis for statewide rules that local agencies must follow.

What’s next: POST will gather documentation, run a research project and return with recommendations. The commission asked staff to send prior and current K‑9 guidelines to commissioners by email and to plan a September agenda item that includes the AB 400 subject‑matter experts for a fuller discussion.