Special Police Training Bill, 8% Judicial Pay Raise Signed by Davis

SACRAMENTO — Police across California will soon have access to better training on confronting the mentally ill, under legislation signed into law Monday by Gov. Gray Davis.

Davis also signed legislation to raise judges’ pay by 8% and vetoed a bill that would have granted greater police powers to Los Angeles’ library cops.

The police training bill by Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks) was intended to address what has become a disproportionately large number of police shootings involving mentally ill and developmentally disabled people--including the Los Angeles Police Department’s controversial shooting last year of a homeless woman, Margaret Mitchell.

Former Gov. Pete Wilson vetoed similar legislation two years ago amid opposition from law enforcement and the commission that oversees police training. Hertzberg’s bill won the support of the commission and groups such as the Los Angeles County Police Protective League, in part because the enhanced training it offers is not mandatory.

Davis vetoed legislation that would have given Los Angeles’ library security officers the power to issue warrants and arrest lawbreaking patrons. The 42 officers who patrol Los Angeles’ 68 public libraries have long complained they are treated as toothless rent-a-cops by disrespectful troublemakers and that they need increased powers to deal with rising crime.

Davis said in his veto message that the matter should be handled at the local level, possibly through an improved partnership between the library system and the LAPD. “I recommend that the city of Los Angeles enter into an agreement to make these library security officers reserve police officers,” Davis stated in the message.

The bill’s author, state Sen. Richard Alarcon (D-Sylmar), a former Los Angeles city councilman, was out of town and unavailable for comment, an aide said.

After years of complaints from the bench, Davis signed legislation by Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica) that will raise the pay of judges from Supreme Court down to Municipal Court. It is the first time in 15 years that judges statewide have gotten a pay hike.

“Our judges’ salaries have not kept pace with salaries paid to beginning lawyers in the private sector, or salaries paid to attorneys in our government offices,” Davis said in his signing message, mirroring remarks by Chief Justice Ronald M. George during his state of the judiciary address this year.

Next year, George’s salary will increase from $159,032 to $170,312.

Finally, Davis signed legislation Monday that will allow people to say they’re sorry without fear of legal retribution.

The bill by Assemblyman Lou Papan (D-Millbrae) prevents a person’s apology from being used as evidence of guilt in civil lawsuits. It was sponsored San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Quentin Kopp, who predicted it will result in a reduction of lawsuits.

“Sometimes people are just angry, and a simple ‘I’m sorry’ can diffuse the problem,” said Kopp, a former state senator.

California is the third state to pass a “benevolent gesture law,” following Massachusetts and Texas. Statements such as “I’m sorry, it was my fault” could still be used as an admission of guilt, however.