Existing law prohibits a person from driving a motor vehicle upon a highway unless that person holds a valid driver’s license to operate the type of vehicle that the person is driving.

Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to require an examination for issuance of a driver’s license. The examination is required to be appropriate to the type of motor vehicle or combination of vehicles the applicant desires a license to drive or tow, in accordance with certain license classifications. A class C driver’s license includes the operation of, among other vehicles, firefighting equipment, provided that the equipment is operated by a person who holds a firefighter endorsement, as specified.

This bill would include the operation of specified emergency equipment under a class C driver’s license, provided the equipment is owned by a law enforcement agency and is operated by a person who has completed, or is currently participating in, the emergency equipment training and certification program described below.

Existing law establishes the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to set minimum standards for the recruitment and training of peace officers and to develop training courses and curriculum.

This bill would require the commission to develop an emergency equipment training and certification program for specified peace officers and volunteers registered with specified law enforcement agencies. The bill would require the training to include both classroom and driver training components, as specified, and a written examination. The bill would impose certification, experience, and licensure requirements on instructors for the training program, including, among other things, a requirement that an instructor be certified as a qualified training instructor by the State of California, the federal government, or a county training officers’ association. The bill would require a training program participant to possess a valid class C driver’s license. The bill would require the commission to issue an emergency equipment operation certification to a training participant who completes the training components and passes the written examination described above.

The bill would define “emergency equipment” as a motor vehicle operated under a class A or class B license that is used to travel to and from the scene of an emergency situation or to transport equipment used in the control of an emergency situation and that is owned, leased, rented by, or under the exclusive control of specified law enforcement agencies.