Section 13879.80 Of Chapter 8.6. Law Enforcement Response To Drug Endangered Children From California Penal Code >> Title 6. >> Part 4. >> Chapter 8.6.
13879.80
. (a) Every law enforcement and social services agency in
this state is encouraged to develop, adopt, and implement written
policies and standards for their response to narcotics crime scenes
where a child is either immediately present or where there is
evidence that a child lives, by January 1, 2005. These policies shall
reflect the fact that exposing a child to the manufacturing,
trafficking, and use of narcotics is criminal conduct and that a
response coordinated by law enforcement and social services agencies
is essential to the child's health and welfare.
(b) The needs of a drug endangered child are best served with
written policies encouraging the arrest of an individual for child
endangerment where there is probable cause that an offense has been
committed coordinated with an appropriate investigation of the child'
s welfare by child protective agencies. Protocols that encourage a
dependency investigation contemporaneous with a law enforcement
investigation at a narcotics crime scene, when appropriate, are
consistent with a child's best interest.