California Penal Code 830.5 PC allows parole officers, probation officers, and DOC correctional officers to carry firearms if authorized by their employer. As long as they meet training and qualification requirements, they generally can also carry their firearms off duty as well.
The law reads:
PC 830.5. The following persons are peace officers whose authority extends to any place in the state while engaged in the performance of the duties of their respective employment and for the purpose of carrying out the primary function of their employment or as required under Sections 8597, 8598, and 8617 of the Government Code. Except as specified in this section, these peace officers may carry firearms only if authorized and under those terms and conditions specified by their employing agency:
(a) A parole officer of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Parole Operations, probation officer, deputy probation officer, or a board coordinating parole agent employed by the Juvenile Parole Board. Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, the authority of these parole or probation officers shall extend only as follows:
(1) To conditions of parole, probation, mandatory supervision, or postrelease community supervision by any person in this state on parole, probation, mandatory supervision, or postrelease community supervision.
(2) To the escape of any inmate or ward from a state or local institution.
(3) To the transportation of persons on parole, probation, mandatory supervision, or postrelease community supervision.
(4) To violations of any penal provisions of law which are discovered while performing the usual or authorized duties of the officer’s employment.
(5)(A) To the rendering of mutual aid to any other law enforcement agency.
(B) For the purposes of this subdivision, “parole agent” shall have the same meaning as parole officer of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice.
(C) Any parole officer of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Parole Operations, is authorized to carry firearms, but only as determined by the director on a case-by-case or unit-by-unit basis and only under those terms and conditions specified by the director or chairperson. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice, shall develop a policy for arming peace officers of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice, who comprise “high-risk transportation details” or “high-risk escape details” no later than June 30, 1995. This policy shall be implemented no later than December 31, 1995.
(D) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice, shall train and arm those peace officers who comprise tactical teams at each facility for use during “high-risk escape details.”(b) A correctional officer employed by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice, having custody of wards or any employee of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation designated by the secretary or any correctional counselor series employee of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or any medical technical assistant series employee designated by the secretary or designated by the secretary and employed by the State Department of State Hospitals or any employee of the Board of Parole Hearings designated by the secretary or employee of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice, designated by the secretary or any superintendent, supervisor, or employee having custodial responsibilities in an institution operated by a probation department, or any transportation officer of a probation department.
(c) The following persons may carry a firearm while not on duty: a parole officer of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice, a correctional officer or correctional counselor employed by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or an employee of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice, having custody of wards or any employee of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation designated by the secretary or any medical technical assistant series employee designated by the secretary or designated by the secretary and employed by the State Department of State Hospitals. A parole officer of the Juvenile Parole Board may carry a firearm while not on duty only when so authorized by the chairperson of the board and only under the terms and conditions specified by the chairperson. Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to require licensure pursuant to Section 25400. The director or chairperson may deny, suspend, or revoke for good cause a person’s right to carry a firearm under this subdivision. That person shall, upon request, receive a hearing, as provided for in the negotiated grievance procedure between the exclusive employee representative and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice, or the Juvenile Parole Board, to review the director’s or the chairperson’s decision.
(d) Persons permitted to carry firearms pursuant to this section, either on or off duty, shall meet the training requirements of Section 832 and shall qualify with the firearm at least quarterly. It is the responsibility of the individual officer or designee to maintain their eligibility to carry concealable firearms off duty. Failure to maintain quarterly qualifications by an officer or designee with any concealable firearms carried off duty shall constitute good cause to suspend or revoke that person’s right to carry firearms off duty.
(e) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall allow reasonable access to its ranges for officers and designees of either department to qualify to carry concealable firearms off duty. The time spent on the range for purposes of meeting the qualification requirements shall be the person’s own time during the person’s off-duty hours.
(f) The secretary shall promulgate regulations consistent with this section.
(g) “High-risk transportation details” and “high-risk escape details” as used in this section shall be determined by the secretary, or the secretary’s designee. The secretary, or the secretary’s designee, shall consider at least the following in determining “high-risk transportation details” and “high-risk escape details” : protection of the public, protection of officers, flight risk, and violence potential of the wards.
(h) “Transportation detail” as used in this section shall include transportation of wards outside the facility, including, but not limited to, court appearances, medical trips, and interfacility transfers.
Legal Analysis
California Penal Code 830.5 PC specifies that the following peace officers may carry firearms if authorized by the terms of the state agency that employs them:
- parole officers,
- (deputy) probation officers,
- board coordinating parole agents
- correctional officers
In general, these peace officers may also carry firearms while not on duty. However, parole officers with the Juvenile Parole Board can carry guns off-duty only
- when authorized by the chairperson of the board and
- under the terms and conditions specified by the chairperson.
An agency director or chairperson can – for good cause shown – deny a peace officer their right to carry a firearm pursuant to PC 830.5. Though that peace officer is entitled to a hearing to contest the deprivation of their carry privileges.
Note that peace officers who are permitted to have guns under PC 830.5 have to duty to
- meet training requirements pursuant to PC 832 and
- qualify with the gun at least once every three months.
Peace officers who fall behind in their training risk having their gun carry rights suspended or revoked.1
Example: Rex works as a parole officer who is authorized to carry a firearm by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. As long as he keeps up his training and qualifications, he can carry his gun even while off-duty.
Under PC 830.5, probation officers may carry a gun as long as they are current on training and qualifying requirements.
See our related articles on California Penal Code 830.1 PC – Peace Officers with the Sheriff’s Department and Department of Justice and California Penal Code 830.3 PC – Investigators and Inspectors as Peace Officers.
Legal References
- California Penal Code 830.5 PC – Parole, probation, and correctional officers, and correctional counselors; Authorization to carry firearms. See, for example, People v. Willis (2002) 28 Cal. 4th 22; Board of Supervisors v. Local agency Formation Com. (1992) 3 Cal. 4th 903.