Chapter 9.28 — PATROL SYSTEMS AND PATROL OFFICERS

Every person applying for a City patrol system license shall first produce a license from the State.

(Prior code § 31-1)

• A. Application Generally—Hearing. It is unlawful to conduct a patrol system without having a permit to conduct the same issued pursuant to the hearing before the City Council. Each application for a permit pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be placed on the agenda of the City Council by the City Clerk as soon as possible after an application meeting all requirements of Title 5 is filed with the City Clerk. The City Council shall thereafter hold a special hearing on the issuance of the permit, giving the applicant at least five days' written notice of the time and place of the hearing, unless the applicant appears before the City Council and waives the notice.

• B. Contents of Application—Application Fee. In addition to those items required in Title 5, any person desiring a permit to conduct a patrol system shall pay an application fee of $10.00, and such application shall contain the following:

  1. The name and address of the applicant.

  2. If the applicant is a partnership, the name and address of all partners.

  3. If the applicant is a corporation, the names and addresses of the corporate officers and manager, and a certified copy of the resolution authorizing such application.

  4. The district or territory proposed to be served by the patrol system.

  5. A description of the methods of operation.

  6. The names and addresses of all patrol officers who are or will be owners, officers or employees of the applicant.

  7. A statement as to what offenses, if any, any person mentioned in paragraphs 1 through 3 of this subsection hereof, have been convicted, and of the time, place and circumstance thereof.

  8. Such other information as either the City Clerk or the Sheriff may require.

• C. Evidence to Accompany Application. With every application for a permit to conduct a patrol system, and with every application for a patrol officer's permit the applicant shall produce evidence that:

  1. He or she is a duly registered voter in the County, or has an honorable discharge from the armed forces, issued within one year last past, if an individual.

  2. If a partnership, every partner is a duly registered voter in the County, or has an honorable discharge from the armed forces, issued within one year last past.

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City of Paramount, CA

PARAMOUNT CODE

§ 9.28.020

§ 9.28.030

3. If a corporation, that it is authorized to do business in the State, and has appointed a local agent who is a registered voter of the County upon whom process may be served.

4. He or she has a license pursuant to Section 7520 of the Business and Professions Code.

• D. Investigation and Recommendation of Sheriff. Upon receipt of an application for a permit to conduct a patrol system the Sheriff shall investigate the character, fitness and qualifications of every person whose name appears on such application. He or she shall transmit such application to the City Clerk and recommend that he or she:

  1. Grant the permit as applied for.

2. Grant the permit subject to certain conditions or for less territory than applied for, or both.

   3. Deny the permit.

The Sheriff shall also inform the City Clerk as to what persons in his or her opinion should be permitted to act as patrol officers.

• E. When Hearing to Be Set. Upon receipt of the report of the Sheriff, the City Clerk shall set the application for hearing before the City Council, in accordance with the terms and provisions of this chapter. The Sheriff shall also be notified of the time and place of the hearing.

• F. Notice of City Council Action. The City Council shall inform the Sheriff and the City Clerk of its final action on each application for a permit to conduct a patrol system.

• G. Contents. Every permit to conduct a patrol system shall contain, among other things, an accurate description of the area in which operations are permitted and the names of all patrol officers permitted to such permittee.

• H. Jurisdictional Area Limitations. A permit to conduct a patrol system shall not authorize any person either as patrol officer, agent or owner to patrol any territory outside of the area specified in the permit of such patrol system.

• I. Modification—Application. The holder of a permit to conduct a patrol system at any time may file an application with the City Clerk either to change or increase his or her territory of operation or to add patrol officers, or both. If additional patrol officers are requested, unless already filed, such patrol officers shall file either applications for permits or applications to modify existing permits.

• J. Granting. The City Council shall grant or deny applications to modify existing patrol system permits in the same manner as in the case of original applications.

• K. Nontransferable—Influencing Grant of Additional Permit Prohibited. The holder of a patrol system permit shall not sell or offer to sell any transfer or relinquishment of the privilege to operate a patrol system in territory to him or her or for any consideration whatever agree to advocate, or not to oppose the granting of any other patrol system permit.

• (Prior code §§ 31-2—31-12)

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City of Paramount, CA § 9.28.030

PUBLIC PEACE AND WELFARE

§ 9.28.060

The operator of a patrol system shall neither employ nor utilize the services in any way of a patrol officer whose name is not on the permit of such operator, or who does not possess a valid, subsisting permit.

(Prior code § 31-13)

The holder of a permit to conduct a patrol system shall so inform the City Clerk within five days after any patrol officer no longer is an owner, member or employee of such permittee, and shall return the permit and badge of such patrol officer to the Sheriff. The City Clerk shall remove such patrol officer's name from the permit of such patrol system. (Prior code § 31-14)

Patrol officer does not include a person who guards the property of a single owner while such property is not open to the public and the entire salary of such person is paid by the owner and there exists only an employer-employee relationship, or a person who, as an employee, only incidentally guards such property but whose main or principal duty is not that of guarding or protecting property.

(Prior code § 31-15)

• A. Application Generally—Appeal from Denial.

  1. It is unlawful to act as a patrol officer without having a permit to conduct the same issued by the City Clerk. Each application for a permit, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, shall be submitted to and approved or disapproved by the City Clerk.

  2. Appeal. Any applicant aggrieved by the decision of the City Clerk with respect to refusal to issue such permit may appeal to the City Council by filing written notice of appeal with the City Clerk within 10 days after receipt of City Clerk's refusal to issue the permit. The matter shall thereupon be placed on the Council agenda for hearing.

The City Council shall grant or deny the issuance of the permit, giving the applicant at least five days. notice of the time and place of the hearing.

• B. Contents of Application—Fees Designated. Any person desiring a permit to act as a patrol officer shall file a verified application with the City Clerk, accompanied by a fee of $10.00 to cover the application. The application form shall contain the following:

  1. The name and address of the applicant.

  2. A statement of all businesses and occupations engaged in for the last five years, and the names and addresses of not less than three persons able to verify the statement.

  3. A statement of what offenses, if any, the applicant has been convicted of, and the time, place and circumstances thereof.

  4. A complete set of fingerprints of the applicant taken by the Sheriff.

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City of Paramount, CA

PARAMOUNT CODE

§ 9.28.060

§ 9.28.080

5. The name and permit number of the patrol system by whom he or she will be employed, or of which he or she is to be an owner or officer. If no such permit has been granted the applicant shall state when an application for such permit has been filed.

6. Such other information as either the Sheriff or City Council may require.

7. With every application for a patrol officer's permit, the applicant shall also file a letter from the permittee of a patrol system, certifying that such permittee desires to employ such patrol officer or that such patrol officer is, or will be an owner or member of such patrol system.

8. Upon making an application for a permit other than a renewal, in addition to the fee required by this section, a patrol officer shall pay $10.00 to the County Sheriff's Department for deposit in the trust fund thereof.

• C. Investigation and Report of Sheriff. Upon receipt of the application for a permit, the City Clerk shall refer the application to the Sheriff and the Sheriff shall investigate the character and qualifications of the applicant. He or she shall transmit the application to the City Clerk and recommend that he or she :

  1. Grant the permit as applied for.

  2. Grant the permit subject to certain conditions or for less territory than applied for, or both.

  3. Deny the permit.

• D. Refund of Fee. If an application for a patrol officer's permit, other than for a renewal, is denied, the Sheriff shall refund to the applicant the $10.00 paid.

• E. Issuance of Badge. If an application for a patrol officer's permit, other than for a renewal, is granted, the Sheriff shall thereupon transfer five dollars as rental for such badge to the general fund of the County.

(Prior code §§ 31-16—31-21)

• A. Upon written application by a patrol officer having a permit, accompanied by the written application of the patrol system which proposes to employ such patrol officer, and upon satisfying the City Council by competent evidence that such patrol officer is, or will be no longer employed by the patrol system formerly employing such patrol officer, the City Council may modify the patrol officer's permit so as to designate the new employer and may modify the permits of the patrol systems by removing such patrol officer's name from the one permit and adding it to the other permit.

• B. Unless a patrol officer applies to have his or her permit modified, the City Council shall revoke the permit of such patrol officer when he or she is no longer employed by the patrol system named in his or her permit.

• (Prior code § 31-22)

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City of Paramount, CA § 9.28.080

PUBLIC PEACE AND WELFARE

§ 9.28.150

A patrol officer shall turn in his or her badge and permit to his or her employer when his or her permit is revoked. A patrol officer shall turn in his or her badge and permit to his or her employer when he or she ceases to be employed as a patrol officer. (Prior code § 31-23)

A patrol officer shall not, either by him or herself or through the actions of another, harass, annoy or commit a nuisance against, or injure the property of, or unnecessarily enter or otherwise trespass upon the property of any person whose property the patrol system of such patrol officer is not employed to protect.

(Prior code § 31-24)

The Sheriff shall specify the police equipment, including weapons, which a permittee may wear while on duty. A permittee shall not wear any equipment or weapon or carry any weapon not so specified.

(Prior code § 31-25)

A patrol officer shall not wear any uniform which is in imitation of, or can be mistaken for, an official sheriff uniform or an official police uniform of the police force of any City within the County, or an official uniform of any State officer. (Prior code § 31-26)

While engaged in his or her duties as such, a patrol officer shall keep upon his or her person at all times, his or her permit and shall wear the badge issued by the Sheriff and shall wear no other badge of any kind, character or description, except a badge issued to him or her by lawful government authority.

(Prior code § 31-27)

A patrol officer shall not assume or use a rank or title the same as or similar to any rank or title used by the Sheriff or by a Police Department within the County. (Prior code § 31-28)

A person shall not give, deliver to or sell any patrol officer's badge or any badge of a design the same as, or similar to the patrol officer's badge as to be mistaken therefor, to any private person. (Prior code § 31-29)

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City of Paramount, CA

PARAMOUNT CODE

§ 9.28.150

§ 9.28.160

A person shall not purchase or receive as a gift, pawn or pledge any patrol officer's badge. (Prior code § 31-30)

Permittees shall not perform official police or investigation activities, but shall immediately report every violation of law and every unusual occurrence to the nearest Sheriff or police substation. A permittee shall make a full report of such violation or other occurrence without unnecessary delay to such substation.

(Prior code § 31-31)

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City of Paramount, CA § 9.32.010

PUBLIC PEACE AND WELFARE

§ 9.32.020