Montebello Municipal Code Ch. 2.20 Police and Fire Departments

A. In addition to the performance of their regular and ordinary duties, it shall be the duty of all police officers and firefighters, at all times, and under all circumstances, to go to the aid of all persons or animals in distress or danger and render them such help and assistance as lies within their power.

B. In case any police officer or firefighter is injured while rendering such additional services as aforementioned, he or she shall be deemed to be injured in the course of his or her employment and shall be entitled to workmen's compensation therefor, as provided by law.

(Prior code §§ 2807 and 2808)

The city council, upon the recommendation of the fire chief or police chief, may adopt mutual aid agreements to provide for fire and police protection for the city and any adjoining municipality, county fire protection district, or any agency rendering fire or police protection. Any member of the police or fire department who renders services outside of the city limits of this city, pursuant to the provisions of any mutual aid agreement, adopted by this city, either pursuant to the provisions of this section or otherwise, shall be deemed to be acting within the scope and course of his employment by this city.

(Prior code § 2809)

The recruitment and training of police officers of the city shall, hereafter, be in accordance with the standards as established from time to time by the Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training of the Department of Justice, of the state, created pursuant to Section 13500 et seq. of the Penal Code of the state of California.

(Prior code § 2809.1)

A. Fire and police services shall be provided by city employees. Prior to the city council transferring or consolidating all or substantially all of the fire and/or police services performed by sworn city personnel to any other public entity other than the city of Montebello, the following findings must be made:

1. Existing emergency response times and service levels, including, but not limited to, on-duty staffing levels, facilities and equipment shall be maintained or enhanced.

2. There shall not be an increase in cost to either the police or fire department general fund allocation, or if a savings to any fund is projected, it shall not be a result of significant service alterations or reductions.

3. Such evidence, including a report by an independent auditor of the financial costs associated with a final proposal, shall be submitted to an ad hoc committee of residents appointed by the city council. The purpose shall be to develop a report that would analyze any proposal in the form of a complete and final proposal and make a recommendation to the city council of such action.

B. No less than six months prior to any such transfer or consolidation becoming effective, the proposed transfer or consolidation shall have been approved by a super majority of fifty-five percent of the voters of the city voting thereon at any regular or special municipal election.

C. This section shall not apply to any public safety services currently performed under contract at the time of the adoption of the ordinance codified in this chapter.

(Ord. 2325 § 1, 2008)

A. The city council has made the following determinations:

1. In the event that the Montebello Police Department ("Department") obtains equipment that qualifies as "military equipment" under Assembly Bill 481, the military equipment will be identified in the Montebello Military Equipment Use Policy ("policy") and will be necessary where there is no reasonable alternative that can achieve the same objective of officer and civilian safety;

2. The policy will safeguard the public's welfare, safety, civil rights, and civil liberties;

3. The military equipment identified in the policy will be reasonably cost effective compared to available alternatives that can achieve the same objective of officer and civilian safety, if any.

B. The department has submitted a proposed policy to the city council and has made those documents available on the department's website for at least thirty days prior to the public hearing concerning the military equipment use issue.

C. The policy was considered by the city council as an agenda item in an open session of a regular meeting, noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act, at which public comment was permitted.

D. The policy shall be made publicly available on the department's website for as long as the military equipment is available for use.

E. The department shall submit an annual military equipment report to the city council, containing the information required in Government Code section 7072, and the city council shall determine whether each type of military equipment identified in that report has complied with the standards for approval set forth section (A)(1-3) above. The city council shall review this section and vote on whether to renew it, on an annual basis at a regular meeting, in accordance with Government Code section 7071(e)(2).

(Ord. No. 2453, § 2, 9-28-2022)