SECTIONS 14170-14175 - California Statutes

PENAL CODE

SECTION 14170-14175

14170. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
measure to enhance crime prevention efforts by establishing a pilot
program to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies in
rural areas to detect and monitor agricultural- and rural-based
crimes.
(b) The County of Tulare has developed the Rural Crime
Demonstration Project administered by the Tulare County District
Attorney's office under a joint powers agreement with the Tulare
County Sheriff's office entered into pursuant to Chapter 5
(commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the
Government Code.
The parties to that agreement formed a task force to include the
office of the Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner. The task force
is an interactive team working together to develop problem solving
and crime control techniques, to encourage timely reporting of
crimes, and to evaluate the results of these activities. The task
force conducts joint operations in order to facilitate investigative
coordination. The task force consults with experts from the United
States military, the California Military Department, the Department
of Justice, other law enforcement entities, and various other state
and private organizations as deemed necessary to maximize the
effectiveness of the task force. Media and community support have
been solicited to promote the task force.
The Rural Crime Demonstration Project has proven its cost
effectiveness. It is appropriate that the project be expanded into a
program that will allow the County of Tulare to continue to operate
the task force formed under the above described joint powers
agreement, and to permit the Counties of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera,
Merced, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus to establish their own programs,
pursuant to the provisions of this title, and to collectively
establish a task force for the prevention of rural crime in those
counties.
(c) The Legislature finds and declares that California has
experienced an escalation in agricultural crimes in general, both
property and personal, and that there has been no concentrated effort
applied to the prevention of crimes against the agricultural
industry. Currently, no national or state agency keeps track of
statistics on agricultural and rural crime. According to media
reports, this state lost millions of dollars worth of crops,
livestock, and equipment in 1994 and 1995. A majority of these crimes
occurred in agricultural-based counties. However, there has been no
effort on the part of any state or local agency to accurately record
these types of crimes.
The Legislature further finds and declares that there are no state
or local law enforcement agencies in this state with programs that
are specially designed to detect or monitor agricultural- and
rural-based criminal activities. In addition, local law enforcement
agencies do not possess the jurisdictional authority, investigative
facilities, or data systems to coordinate a comprehensive approach to
the state's agricultural and rural crime problem.
The Legislature additionally finds and declares that the
proliferation of agricultural and rural crime in the various rural
counties of this state is a threat to the vitality of our rich
agrarian tradition. Agricultural and rural crime, if left unchecked,
endangers an entire industry that is vital to America's continued
economic role in the world, and therefore requires a proactive
response from the Legislature. The intent of the Legislature in
authorizing the Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Program
pursuant to this act is to provide for the protection and safety of
the state's agriculture industry by creating statewide standards and
methods of detecting and tracking agrarian and rural crime.

14171. (a) Each of the Counties of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera,
Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare may develop within its
respective jurisdiction a Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention
Program, which shall be administered by the county district attorney'
s office of each respective county under a joint powers agreement
with the corresponding county sheriff's office entered into pursuant
to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1
of the Government Code.
(b) The parties to each agreement shall form a regional task force
that shall be known as the Central Valley Rural Crime Task Force,
that includes the respective county office of the county agricultural
commissioner, the county district attorney, the county sheriff, and
interested property owner groups or associations. The task force
shall be an interactive team working together to develop crime
prevention, problem solving, and crime control techniques, to
encourage timely reporting of crimes, and to evaluate the results of
these activities. The task force shall operate from a joint facility
in order to facilitate investigative coordination. The task force
shall also consult with experts from the United States military, the
California Military Department, the Department of Justice, other law
enforcement entities, and various other state and private
organizations as deemed necessary to maximize the effectiveness of
this program. Media and community support shall be solicited to
promote this program. Each of the designated counties shall adopt
rules and regulations for the implementation and administration of
this program.
(1) In order to receive funds for this program, each designated
county shall agree to participate in a regional task force, to be
known as the Central Valley Rural Crime Task Force, and shall appoint
a representative to that task force.
(2) The Central Valley Rural Crime Task Force shall develop rural
crime prevention programs containing a system for reporting rural
crimes that enables the swift recovery of stolen goods and the
apprehension of criminal suspects for prosecution. The task force
shall develop computer software and use communication technology to
implement the reporting system, although the task force is not
limited to the use of these means to achieve the stated goals.
(3) The Central Valley Rural Crime Task Force shall develop a
uniform procedure for all participating counties to collect, and each
participating county shall collect, data on agricultural crimes. The
task force shall also establish a central database for the
collection and maintenance of data on agricultural crimes and
designate one participating county to maintain the database. State
funds the counties receive to operate their rural crime prevention
programs may be used to implement the requirements of this paragraph.
This paragraph does not prohibit counties from using their own funds
to implement the paragraph's provisions, however, it is the
Legislature's intent that this paragraph shall not be construed as
creating a state-mandated local program.
(c) The staff for each program shall consist of the personnel
designated by the district attorney and sheriff for each county in
accordance with the joint powers agreement.

14173. It is the intent of the Legislature that any funds
appropriated to the Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Program be
distributed according to the following schedule:

Fresno ......................... 23%
Kern ........................... 17%
Kings .......................... 8.5%
Madera ......................... 5.5%
Merced ......................... 8.5%
San Joaquin .................... 8.5%
Stanislaus ..................... 8.5%
Tulare ......................... 20.5%

14174. Funds appropriated for the purposes of this title shall be
allocated based on the counties' compliance with paragraph (3) of
subdivision (b) of Section 14171.

14175. This title shall become inoperative on July 1, 2012, and is
repealed as of January 1, 2013, unless a later enacted statute, which
is enacted before January 1, 2013, deletes or extends that date.