HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 22 - Counncilmember Requested Relating to Reaffirm Santa Ana Police Department Policy and to Prepare an Ordinance to Codify the Prohibition of Immigration Related Secondary Employment ;pY.Ry CITY OF SANTA ANA
Council member-Requested Item Report
DATE
May 19, 2026
TOPIC
Codify Policy Prohibiting Immigration Related Secondary Employment for Santa Ana Police
Department Personnel
COUNCILMEMBER-REQUESTED ITEM TITLE
Discuss and Consider Directing the City Manager and the City Attorney to Reaffirm Santa
Ana Police Department Policy and to Prepare an Ordinance to Codify the Prohibition of
Immigration Related Secondary Employment
DISCUSSION
As the State of California considers numerous bills to regulate secondary employment of law
enforcement officers as it relates to immigration enforcement, we believe it is imperative to
act and we cannot wait for the State.
Various Assembly and Senate bills seek to disqualify a person from being a peace officer
based on employment in immigration enforcement.
As a Charter City, we want to exercise the maximum ability that a charter city allows, and
codify language in the Santa Ana Municipal Code that protects residents and ensures that
police officers are not employed in immigration enforcement.
Santa Ana Police Policy 1021 requires written approval from the Chief of Police and Human
Resources for outside employment. The requested legislative action will establish language
within the Santa Ana Municipal Code prohibiting secondary employment of Santa Ana Police
Officers related to immigration enforcement. This action and future approval by the City
Council reaffirms the city's commitment to public safety and our community's public trust.
Local Law Enforcement Standards
The City of Santa Ana maintains rigorous hiring and training standards for its police officers,
consistent with and often exceeding those established by the California Commission on
Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). These standards include:
• Comprehensive background investigations
• Psychological and medical evaluations
• Strict disqualifying criteria under California Government Code §§1029 and 1031
CITY ATTORNEY CITY MANAGER CITY CLERK
Sonia R.Carvalho Alvaro Nunez Jennifer L.Hall
20 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA-P.O.BOX 1988,M31 -SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92702
TELEPHONE(714)647-6900-FAX(714)647-6954-www.santa-ana.org
Councilmember Requested Item — Codify Santa Ana Police Department Policy Prohibiting
Immigration Related Secondary Employment
Page 2
• Additional local requirements, including enhanced screening and qualifications
These measures ensure that officers serving the Santa Ana community meet the highest
standards of professionalism, accountability, and public trust.
Secondary Employment and Policy Alignment
The proposed legislative action will codify that the Santa Ana Police Department does not
permit secondary employment arrangements that conflict with City policy or undermine
community trust. This includes employment with federal immigration enforcement agencies
such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This position is consistent with the City's longstanding commitment to community-oriented
policing and compliance with state laws governing the separation of local and federal
immigration enforcement functions.
Community Impact
Santa Ana is a diverse, densely populated urban community with a significant immigrant
population. Maintaining clear boundaries between local law enforcement and federal
immigration enforcement is critical to ensuring that all residents feel safe reporting crimes,
accessing services, and engaging with public safety personnel.
The ordinance will reinforce the City's commitment to:
• Public safety through trust-based policing
• Transparency in law enforcement practices
• Alignment with state legislative efforts to clarify permissible conduct for peace officers
Statistical Hiring Data and Local Control
Recent Santa Ana Police Department sworn hiring data reinforces the importance of
maintaining clear, locally controlled hiring and outside-employment standards. From 2023
through 2025, SAPD hired 86 sworn personnel; 47 officers from the academy, 12 lateral
officers from other law enforcement agencies, and 27 military veterans, reflecting a
recruitment process that draws from trained public safety and service backgrounds while still
requiring local review, approval, and compliance with City standards.
Importantly, SAPD reported zero sworn hires from the Department of Homeland Security
during that time period. Codifying a prohibition on immigration-related secondary employment
would therefore align the Santa Ana Municipal Code with existing local practice, strengthen
public confidence in SAPD's community-policing mission, and provide clear direction that City
police officers may not accept outside employment that conflicts with Santa Ana's public
safety values or community trust.
SUBMITTED BY:
Mayor Valerie Amezcua
Councilmember Phil Bacerra
CITY ATTORNEY CITY MANAGER CITY CLERK
Sonia R.Carvalho Alvaro Nunez Jennifer L.Hall
20 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA-P.O.BOX 1988,M31 -SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92702
TELEPHONE(714)647-6900-FAX(714)647-6954-www.santa-ana.org