The California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA) is a membership association that represents police chiefs in California. Along with professional development training, the CPCA advocates for public safety policies at the state level and endorses candidates in California elections. ¹

The California Police Chiefs Association advocates on behalf of California law enforcement in state and federal courts, and provides amicus curiae briefs to support its members. ²

CPCA has contributed nearly $80,000 to ballot measure committees, in opposition of measures that would reduce penalties for nonviolent crimes and provide rehabilitation for nonviolent offenders, and in opposition to a 2010 effort that attempted to legalize recreational marijuana under state law. ³

In 2015, the California Police Chiefs Association was among several law enforcement groups that opposed a measure to limit the seizure of property by law enforcement without a criminal conviction, claiming that so-called “civil asset forfeiture” was the best way to seek justice against suspected drug dealers. ⁴ CPCA and other groups removed their opposition after amendments favorable to law enforcement were made to the bill in 2016. ⁵

CPCA is largely funded by membership dues and reported nearly $2 million in dues in its 2017 tax filing. ⁶

Activity

The California Police Chiefs Association claims to be non-partisan and takes positions on everything from state ballot initiatives to federal legislative offices. The Association’s Political Action Committee recommends candidates to the board of directors for its endorsement. ⁷

In 2015, the California Police Chiefs Association opposed California Senate Bill 443, which would require a criminal conviction in order to seize assets over $25,000. CPCA claimed that civil asset forfeiture was the best way for law enforcement to seek justice against suspected drug dealers and that the burden on proof Bill 443 required would be “severely problematic” for law enforcement. CPCA also claimed that Bill 443 would make the distribution of seized assets among law enforcement agencies more confusing. ⁸ After amendments made to Bill 443 in 2016, which lessened law enforcement’s burden of proof on assets over $40,000, CPCA removed its opposition, allowing the bill to pass. ⁹

CPCA has contributed nearly $80,000 to a number of other ballot measure committees, two of which were sponsored by the California Public Safety Institute. CPCA opposed measures that would reduce penalties for nonviolent crimes and provide rehabilitation for nonviolent offenders, and also opposed the Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010. ¹⁰

Funding

The California Police Chiefs Association reported nearly $2 million dollars in membership dues in its 2017 tax filing. ¹¹ Membership in the CPCA is limited to California municipal police chiefs and their command staff, both active and retired. Associate memberships may be granted at the nomination of the Chief of Police or Director of Public Safety. Dues are based on the total number of personnel in a department, with minimum yearly dues of $348. Chiefs of departments with more than 200 people, whether sworn or not, are required to pay dues of $2,315. ¹²

Board of Directors

CPCA’s board is made up of police chiefs from all over California. The current executive board consists of president Eric Nuñez, 1st vice president Rob Handy, 2nd vice president Abdul Pridgen, 3rd vice president Scott Heller, immediate past president Ronald A. Lawrence, and director-at-large Derrick Abel. More than 25 additional police chiefs serve as members of the board. Committee chairs include Thomas Chaplin, Training; Alex Gammelgard and Jeff Hunter, Technology; Abdul Pridgen, Finance; Corey Sianez, Law and Legislation; and Deanna Cantrel and Cathy Madalone, Women Leaders in Law Enforcement. ¹³

1. “Introduction.” California Police Chiefs Association. Accessed June 2, 2020. https://www.californiapolicechiefs.org/introduction.
2. “Legal Advocacy.” California Police Chiefs Association. Accessed June 2, 2020. https://www.californiapolicechiefs.org/legal-advocacy.
3. “California Police Chiefs Association.” Follow the Money, 2020. Accessed June 3, 2020. https://www.followthemoney.org/entity-details?eid=422369.
4. “SB 443 (Oppose).” California Police Chiefs Association. Accessed June 2, 2020. https://www.californiapolicechiefs.org/assets/sb%20443%20oppose.pdf.
5. “California Governor Brown Signs Bill Protecting Californians from Civil Asset Forfeiture Abuse.” Drug Policy Alliance, September 28, 2016. Accessed June 3, 2020. https://www.drugpolicy.org/news/2016/09/california-governor-brown-signs-bill-protecting-californians-civil-asset-forfeiture-abu.
6. California Police Chiefs Association, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2017, Part I, Line 9.
7. “Political Action Committee.” California Police Chiefs Association. Accessed June 2, 2020. https://www.californiapolicechiefs.org/political-action.
8. “SB 443 (Oppose).” California Police Chiefs Association. Accessed June 2, 2020. https://www.californiapolicechiefs.org/assets/sb%20443%20oppose.pdf.
9. “California Governor Brown Signs Bill Protecting Californians from Civil Asset Forfeiture Abuse.” Drug Policy Alliance, September 28, 2016. Accessed June 3, 2020. https://www.drugpolicy.org/news/2016/09/california-governor-brown-signs-bill-protecting-californians-civil-asset-forfeiture-abu.
10. “California Police Chiefs Association.” Follow the Money, 2020. Accessed June 3, 2020. https://www.followthemoney.org/entity-details?eid=422369.
11. California Police Chiefs Association, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2017, Part I, Line 9.
12. “Membership.” California Police Chiefs Association. Accessed June 2, 2020. https://www.californiapolicechiefs.org/membership.
13. “Board of Directors.” California Police Chiefs Association. Accessed June 2, 2020.  https://www.californiapolicechiefs.org/board-of-directors.