Article 1. State of California Fish And Game Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 1.

The director shall, from time to time, employ or appoint, with or without pay, such deputies, clerks, assistants, and other employees as the department may need to discharge in proper manner the duties imposed upon it by law.

A deputy appointed to enforce the provisions of this code is a peace officer. The deputy has all the powers and authority conferred by law upon peace officers listed in Section 830.6 of the Penal Code to make arrests for violations of this code, and may serve all processes and notices throughout the state.

(a) The director may deputize any employee of the department to check persons for licenses required under Section 7145 and to enforce any violation of that section.
  (b) Before a person is deputized pursuant to this section for the first time, the person shall have satisfactorily completed a training course meeting the minimum standards of, and comparable to, the training for "level III reserve" as set forth in the regulations of the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
  (c) A person, who is deputized for the limited purpose stated in subdivision (a) shall not enforce any other provision of this code. Being deputized under this section does not make a person a peace officer subject to Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code.

Notwithstanding Section 18932 of the Government Code, the minimum age limit for appointment to the position of fish and game warden of the department shall be 18 years. An examination for the position of warden shall require a demonstration of the physical ability to effectively carry out the duties and responsibilities of the position in a manner that would not inordinately endanger the health or safety of a warden or any other person.

Regularly employed law enforcement officers of the department may, when authorized by the director, expend such sums as authorized for the purchase of fish, birds, or mammals as evidence, or for expenditures related to the procurement of such evidence, or for expenditures made to investigate other violations of this code without divulging the identity of the employee. The sums so expended shall be repaid to the law enforcement officer making the expenditure upon claims approved by the director. The claims, when approved, shall be paid out of the funds appropriated or made available by law for the support of the department.

(a) All employees of the department designated by the director as deputized law enforcement officers are peace officers as provided by Section 830.2 of the Penal Code. The authority of that peace officer extends to any place in the state as to a public offense committed or which offense there is probable cause to believe has been committed within the state.
  (b) Every peace officer described in this section, before the date that he or she is first deputized by the department, shall have satisfactorily completed the basic course as set forth in the regulations of the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
  (c) Every peace officer described in this section shall be required to complete regular training courses as required by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.

(a) The department may install patrol vehicle mounted video and audio systems, commonly known as dashboard cameras, in patrol vehicles used by peace officers described in Section 856. A peace officer described in Section 856 may use the patrol vehicle mounted video and audio system to record any communications or other actions involving the officer while the officer is in uniform and acting within the scope of his or her authority.
  (b) The department shall adopt a policy to establish standards regarding the activation of patrol vehicle mounted video and audio systems and the preservation and retention of recordings from patrol vehicle mounted video and audio systems, subject to the following requirements:
  (1) Once a patrol vehicle mounted video and audio system has been activated pursuant to standards established by the department pursuant to subdivision (b), the patrol vehicle mounted video and audio system shall record the duration of an encounter.
  (2) The department shall retain a recording from a patrol vehicle mounted video and audio system for a minimum of 90 days and a maximum of one year, except if the recording is necessary for a pending, or reasonably foreseeable civil or criminal action, or for training or administrative purposes.
  (3) The department shall provide access to a recording from a patrol vehicle mounted video and audio system in accordance with all other provisions of law.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the status of a person as an employee, agent, or licensee of the department does not confer upon that person a special right or privilege to knowingly enter private land without the consent of the owner, a search warrant, or an inspection warrant.
  (b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to employees, agents, or licensees of the department in the event of an emergency. For purposes of this section, "emergency" means a sudden, unexpected occurrence, involving a clear and imminent danger demanding immediate action to prevent or mitigate loss of, or damage to, wildlife, wildlife resources, or wildlife habitat.
  (c) Subdivision (a) does not apply to a sworn peace officer authorized pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 830.2 of the Penal Code or, if necessary for law enforcement purposes, to other departmental personnel accompanying a sworn peace officer. Subdivision (a) shall not be construed to define or alter any authority conferred on those peace officers by any other law or court decision.
  (d) Subdivision (a) does not apply to, or interfere with, the authority of employees or licensees to enter and inspect land in conformance with Section 4604 of the Public Resources Code.
  (e) This section is not intended to expand or constrain the authority, if any, of employees, agents, or licensees of the department to enter private land to conduct inspections pursuant to Section 7702 of this code or Section 8670.5, 8670.7, or 8670.10 of the Government Code.
  (f) If the department conducts a survey or evaluation of private land that results in the preparation of a document or report, the department shall, upon request and without undue delay, provide either a copy of the report or a written explanation of the department's legal authority for denying the request. The department may charge a fee for each copy, not to exceed the direct costs of duplication.

(a) The department, in cooperation with landowners and landowner organizations, shall, on or before January 1, 1995, develop a statewide policy and procedure for recording and processing landowner complaints regarding alleged misconduct by personnel of the department and a written protocol that ensures compliance with Section 857.
  (b) The department shall, on or before January 1, 1995, designate official fish and game warden emblems and their placement. The department shall prohibit personnel of the department who are not peace officers from wearing any patch, badge, bar, or other indicia of peace officer status. The selection and configuration of official fish and game warden emblems shall be established by the department in cooperation with California game wardens to ensure that the public is readily able to distinguish game wardens from personnel who are not peace officers.

Notwithstanding Section 11005 of the Government Code, the department may seek and accept grants and donations from private and public organizations and agencies for the purpose of administering the Canine (K9) Program. The acceptance of one-time donations valued over fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) shall require approval of the Department of Finance.

The department may offer for sale a fish and game warden stamp to be designed and produced as the department may determine. The fish and game warden stamp may be purchased on a voluntary basis from the department or a licensed agent authorized pursuant to Section 1055.1 for a donation of not less than five dollars ($5). The department may also design an electronic version of the fish and game warden stamp to be offered through the Automated License Data System. There shall be no indication on any license or permit of the purchase of a warden stamp. All revenues from sales under this section shall be deposited in the Fish and Game Warden Stamp Account which is hereby created in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund to permit separate accountability for the receipt and expenditure of these funds. Funds deposited in the Fish and Game Warden Stamp Account shall used, upon appropriation, to support the department's fish and game wardens.