La Puente Municipal Code Ch. 5.44 Private Patrol Cars

Sections:

• 5.44.010 Permit required.

• 5.44.020 Definitions.

• 5.44.030 Additional information required for application.

• 5.44.040 Operating requirements.

• 5.44.050 Additional grounds for modification, revocation or suspension.

(a) No person shall engage in, conduct or carry on the business of operating a patrol car service without a permit issued pursuant to Chapter 5.08 of this title. If any of the provisions of Chapter 5.08 of this title conflict with the provisions of this chapter, the provisions of this chapter shall prevail as to all matters and questions arising out of the subject matter of this chapter.

(b) Exemptions. Patrol officers are not required to obtain a permit or to pay a permit fee therefor. However, they must register with the director and provide the director with a photostatic or certified copy of their registration with the state pursuant to the State Private Investigator Act. If a patrol officer does not have proof of current valid registration, then he or she must register with the city upon a form prescribed by the sheriff’s department. No registration fee shall be charged for such registration.

(Ord. 788 § 23 (part), 1999)

For purposes of this chapter, unless it is plainly evident from the context that a different meaning is intended, the following definitions shall apply:

“Director” means the community development director of the city of La Puente or his or her designee.

“Patrol officer” means an individual engaged by a patrol service to perform the functions described in the definition of “patrol service” in this section.

“Patrol service” means a private business establishment whereby a private operator thereof agrees to furnish, for consideration, any watchman, guard, patrolman, patrol officer, or other individual, either uniformed or otherwise, to patrol any portion of the city, to guard against or prevent theft, unlawful taking, loss, misappropriation of property of any kind, or to act as an escort for a funeral procession. Patrol service does not include a service provided to protect a single individual’s property where the person furnishing such service is employed solely by such individual.

“Permittee” means any person with a permit to operate a patrol service.

“Person” means any individual, firm, business, partnership, corporation, cooperative, company, association, joint stock association, church, religious sect, religious denomination, society, organization, or league and shall include any trustee, receiver, assignee, agent, solicitor, or other similar representative thereof.

(Ord. 788 § 23 (part), 1999)

In addition to the information required in Section 5.08.030(a) of this title, an applicant for a permit to operate a patrol service shall provide the following information:

(a) A map of the district, territory or area proposed to be served by the patrol service;

(b) A description of the patrol service’s methods of operation;

(c) A statement of what, if any, criminal offenses other than traffic violations, have been committed by the applicant;

(d) A photostatic or certified copy of the applicant’s state identification card required pursuant to the Private Investigator Act;

(e) A description of areas of the public or private property upon which the applicant intends to park vehicles used in the operation of the business;

(f) A description of the color scheme and insignia to be used on the patrol cars;

(g) A description of the badge to be worn by any patrol officer employed by the applicant, along with color photographs depicting the color, shape and size of such badges;

(h) A statement regarding the number of vehicles the applicant intends to use for patrol, their make, model, vehicle identification number, and license number; and

(i) A current list of the names, addresses and physical descriptions of all of the applicant’s employees.

(Ord. 788 § 23 (part), 1999)

(a) Badges.

(1) Each patrol service permittee shall issue a patrol officer’s badge to each of its patrolmen. Every patrol officer shall wear the badge while acting as a patrol officer and shall wear no other badge of any kind, character or description.

(2) The permittee shall not sell, or permit the sale of, any patrol officer’s badge or of any badge of a design that is the same as, or so similar to, the patrol officer’s badge so that the buyer thereof would be mistaken for a patrol officer employed by the licensee when in fact he or she is not.

(b) False Identification.

(1) No patrol officer shall wear any uniform which is an imitation of, or can be readily mistaken for, an official sheriff’s uniform or an official uniform of the police department of any city within the county, or an official uniform of any state officer, nor shall the words “POLICE” OR “SHERIFF” appear on any badge, emblem, or uniform worn by such patrol officer.

(2) No patrol officer shall assume or use a rank or title identical, or similar, to any rank or title used by the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department or by any police department within the county.

(3) No patrol service shall use, bestow or permit any patrol officer to assume or use any rank or title identical, or similar, to any rank or title used by the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department or by a police department within the county.

(c) Motor Vehicle Markings. Motor vehicles used by a patrol service or patrol officer shall not bear markings or insignia that resemble the markings or insignia on official Los Angeles County sheriff’s department or police department motor vehicles, nor shall the words “POLICE” or “SHERIFF” appear on such markings or insignia.

(d) Conduct.

(1) An operator, partner, agent or patrol officer shall not, either by himself or herself or through the action of another, harass, annoy or commit a nuisance against or injure the property, or unnecessarily enter or otherwise trespass upon the property of any person whose property the private patrol service or private patrol officer is not employed to protect.

(2) All complaints regarding the activities of a patrol service or of a patrol officer employed by such service shall be investigated by the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department. Reports of such complaints shall be held in the files of the sheriff for a period of two years and shall be subject to inspection by the city manager, the director, or the city council at all times.

(e) List of Customers. Each patrol service or patrol officer shall keep a list of all customers and the patrol officer assigned to guard or patrol such customers’ premises. Such list shall be open to inspection by the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department.

(f) Report of Law Violations. No permittee under this chapter shall perform official police duties. The permittee shall insure that every violation of law and every unusual occurrence coming to the permittee’s attention or to the attention of his or her patrol officers in the performance of their duties is immediately reported to the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department.

(Ord. 788 § 23 (part), 1999)

In addition to the grounds set forth in Section 5.08.110 of this title, a permit authorizing a person to engage in, conduct or carry on the business of a patrol service shall be revoked or suspended by the city if the permittee fails to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 788 § 23 (part), 1999)