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BSIS enforcement reports spike in incident reports, stresses action on unlicensed activity
Summary
BSIS enforcement staff said incident-reporting has increased under AB 229 and that unlicensed activity remains the most common citation; the bureau urged members of the public and companies to submit complaints and noted ongoing case work with the Attorney General's office.
The Bureau of Security and Investigative Services' enforcement unit reported to its advisory committee on Aug. 18 that incident reporting has climbed since AB 229 expanded reporting requirements and that unlicensed activity remains a primary enforcement focus.
Sam Sadowski, deputy chief of enforcement, told the committee the bureau now has 176 cases pending at the Attorney General's office, down from 278 in February. He said the number of firearm-assessment appeals at the AG's office has fallen to 55, down from 160 earlier this year.
"A large portion of [incident reports] has to do with the incident reports for medical restraints," Sadowski said, adding the bureau is streamlining the reporting process for faster resolution. He said special investigators in the field helped the bureau increase completed inspections by 75% in the last fiscal year and that 48% of citations issued last fiscal year were for unlicensed activity.
Public concerns During the public-comment period, members of the public and business representatives pressed the bureau on how it handles theft of employer property (uniforms) and what penalties follow unlicensed activity. A caller who identified himself as operating a security company said their organization had multiple employees leave with uniforms and not return them; he asked whether the bureau could suspend GuardCards for that behavior.
Sadowski and bureau staff said enforcement options depend on the legal facts. "If somebody has stolen a security uniform, you should report it to law enforcement," Sadowski said. He explained criminal prosecution often requires a victim and that the bureau's administrative tools (citations, fines, license suspension) rely on statutory authority and can be constrained when a matter is civil rather than criminal.
The bureau outlined avenues for action: administrative citations (fines up to $5,000), referral to local prosecutors for misdemeanor charges where warranted, interim restrictions of licenses during criminal proceedings and use of complaint-resolution staff to investigate and pursue compliance.
Why it matters: The bureau said increased reporting and enforcement activity stems from AB 229's expanded reporting and the bureau's effort to focus on unlicensed operators, which the bureau said often pose consumer risk. Enforcement officials asked the public and industry to submit complaints with identifying information so the bureau can pursue cases with local law enforcement or administrative remedies.
Ending: The bureau said it will continue targeted inspections and field enforcement operations and asked industry and consumers to report suspected unlicensed activity via bsis@dca.ca.gov or the bureau complaint process.
