Penal Code (CA) Question

[RookieD]

This is mainly directed toward CHP, but I would love feedback from anyone. Since I have begun the lengthy process of becoming a CHP officer, I have taken the liberty in obtaining an "Upper hand" by taking a Spanish class, as well as grammar class at a local junior college. I was wondering if it would'nt be a bad idea to study over some penal codes too? If this is a good idea, which sections of the penal codes should I focus on? I am going to buy a PC book from DMV, but before I do so, I want to get some feedback from some officers. Any other classes you recommend that would give me the upper hand in the academy? In addition, I work a full time job which limits me to online and night classes, if that means anything.


This is probaly not in the right section...

[pkagel]

The DMV sells the CVC, not the CPC. You can get a CPC from any of the cop shops. That said, most anything you'll need to study is free on my yahoo group and I have it filed by the different LD's since CA law is all over the CPC and just reading the CPC will confuse you w/o having been through the academy.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CABasicPolice/

[pkagel]

Thanks! CVC 40,000 ways to get PC, LOL!

lol I was just about to direct him to you...

[calsarge]

Definitely check out pkagel's stuff. It is excellent. Here is another online resource for you to use. It is all the different legal codes for California. Focus on the Penal Code, Vehicle Code, selected Health and Safety and Business and Professions codes.

The following penal codes are must knows in California

148, 166, 187, 207, 211, 240, 241, 242, 243,243(e)(1), 245, 261, 273.5, 288, 415, 459, 487, 488, all sections of 647, 653M, 12020,12025

There are tons more I haven't gotten to because I am thinking off the top of my head and don't want to overwhelm you too much anyway but most of the biggies are there.

[chineseservant]

burglary robbery,larceny,petty theft, grand theft, murder, killing justifiable homicide, assault, battery, drunk driving, reckless driving, arson, vandalisn, reckless endangerment..pm me if you need to know more. Study hard.

[pkagel]

If you want an upper hand in the academy, take the classes you are currently taking and PT a lot. Get yourself a copy of the CHP radio codes and memorize them along with the LE Code of Ethics. Don't worry about studying the penal codes so much right now. Sure, read through the study notes I have on my site but don't stress over them because you will have an instructor who knows the law very well teaching you. It is not as simple as reading a CPC and then thinking you know the law. Their are a lot of small things that make the law a lot more difficult than you currently realize. My notes are best used by officers who just want something to read on breaks to keep them sharp on their codes and by academy students to use a a sort of "Clift Notes" to shorten the amount of time they need to study and therefore allow them much needed sleep.

If you just study things you can't misinterpet, like radio codes, you'll be more likely to keep yourself out of trouble.

[padsrule33]

Do CHP officers study criminal law, in was under my impression that they just dealt with vehicle code. Am I wrong?

[pkagel]

Your dead wrong, they are CA Peace Officers, they take the same POST tests the rest of us do. In the way back we had the CHP and the CSP, they were merged into one and cover both. They do probably know the CVC better than the average street officer but they know the CPC also, give them some credit.

Do CHP officers study criminal law, in was under my impression that they just dealt with vehicle code. Am I wrong?

[SlowDownThere]

First, I'm in NY, not CA, so maybe things are a lot different there.

But I have been an istructor at our academy, and did teach the criminal code (it's called Penal law here). This stuff requires some explanantion. I just don't think someone would grasp most of it without a lesson being presented.

Is it written in plain english in CA, cuz it sure ain't here.

[pkagel]

Lord no, it is probably written worse in CA than NY. My notes break it down a lot but even still, I think it needs to be taught in the academy first. My notes are meant to be a sort of "clift notes" for study during the academy and maybe for a police officer to brush up his knowledge with. I can't possibly imagine learning the law by reading the CPC w/o first having the base knowledge that the academy gives you.

First, I'm in NY, not CA, so maybe things are a lot different there.

But I have been an istructor at our academy, and did teach the criminal code (it's called Penal law here). This stuff requires some explanantion. I just don't think someone would grasp most of it without a lesson being presented.

Is it written in plain english in CA, cuz it sure ain't here.

[18C3V]

start running, learn the radio codes, phonetic alphabet and get ready to live in a live in academy in a really para-military environment.