Ordinance No. XXXX
ORDINANCE NO. XXXX
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROCKLIN
ESTABLISHING A FIRE AND ARSON INVESTIGATION UNIT
WITHIN THE ROCKLIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND
AUTHORIZING DESIGNATED PERSONNEL TO EXERCISE
PEACE OFFICER POWERS PURSUANT TO
CALIFORNIA PENAL CODE SECTION 830.37
The City Council of the City of Rocklin finds and declares as follows:
A. The Rocklin Fire Department is responsible for fire prevention, fire code enforcement, and the investigation of fires, including fires suspected to be inc endiary in nature, within the City of Rocklin. These functions are essential to protecting the public health, safety, and welfare of the community.
B. The investigation of suspected arson and related criminal activity is a specialized function that requires coordination with law enforc ement agencies and compliance with applicable state and federal laws governing criminal investigations and access to criminal justice information systems.
C. California Penal Code section 830.37 recognizes members of an arson - investigating unit regularly employed by a city fire department as peace officers when their primary duty is the detection and apprehension of persons who have violated fire laws or committed insurance fraud. Such peace officer authority is limited to the performance of assigned duties and does not confer general law enforcement authority.
D. The Rocklin Fire Department has taken steps to professionalize and formalize its fire and arson investigation function by ensuring that designated personnel complete background investigations conducted by the California Department of Justice and training prescribed by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), including training required by Penal Code section 832.
E. In January 2023, the City formally establ ished a Fire and Arson Investigation Unit within the Rocklin Fire Department for administrative and operational purposes.
F. The California Department of Justice has clarified that a fire department arson investigation unit staffed by peace officers may qual ify as a criminal justice/law enforcement sub -unit with direct access to California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) provided the unit is formally established by City Council action and assigned an Originating Agency Identifier (ORI) by th e Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division.
G. While Penal Code section 830.37 provides peace officer authority, access to criminal justice information systems is governed by separate administrative and 509
Ordinance No. XXXX
regulatory requirements imposed by the California Department of Justice and the FBI CJIS Division, including the requirement that the unit be formally established and authorized by the governing body of the City.
H. This Ordinance designates the Fire and Arson Investi gation Unit of the Rocklin Fire Department as an arson -investigating unit, supports compliance with state and federal criminal justice information system requirements, and provides administrative clarity without expanding the scope of authority or duties c urrently exercised by the Rocklin Fire Department.
NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROCKLIN DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Findings. The findings and recitals set forth above are true and correct.
Section 2. Purpose. The purpose of t his Ordinance is to establis h a Fire and Arson Investigation Unit within the Rocklin Fire Department and to authorize designated personnel of that unit to exercise limited peace officer powers pursuant to California Penal Code section 830.37.
Section 4. Authority. The City Council enacts this ordinance under the authority granted to cities by Article XI, Section 7 of the California Constitution , Government Code sections 37100 and 38611.
Section 5. Fire and Arson Investigation Unit Established.
A. Fire and Arson Investigation Unit.
There is hereby established within the Rocklin Fire Department a Fire and Arson Investigation Unit. The unit is designated as a criminal justice , law enforcement sub-unit of the Rocklin Fire Department, the members of which may exercise limited peace officer authority consistent with their primary duty of detecting and apprehending persons who have violated fire laws or committed insurance fraud, pursuant to California Penal Code Section 830.37.
B. Authority.
Members of the Fire and Arson Investigati on Unit, as designated by the City Manager, or the City Manager’s Designee, are authorized to exercise the powers of peace officers in accordance with California Penal Code Section 830.37, including the authority to make arrests, apply for and serve search warrants, and perform other law enforcement functions necessary to the investigation and prosecution of arson and related crimes.
C. Documentation.
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This Ordinance shall serve as the official documentation establishing the Fire and Arson Investigation Unit as a criminal justice/law enforcement sub -unit of the Rocklin Fire Department pursuant to statute and ordinance.
D. Coordination with Police Department.
The Fire and Arson Investigation Unit shall coordinate with the Roc klin Police Department on investigations involving fatalities, serious bodily injury, or any criminal activity beyond violations of fire laws. In such cases, the Rocklin Police Department may assume the primary investigative role, with the Fire and Arson I nvestigation Unit providing origin-and-cause analysis, fire -specific expertise, investigative support, or conducting joint investigations as appropriate.
Section 6. Environmental. The City Council hereby finds that this ordinance is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060 and 15378.
Section 7. Severability. If any section, sub -section, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of the Ordinance. City Council hereby declares that it would have adopted the Ordinance and each section, sub-section, sentence, clause, phrase or portion thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, sub -sections, sentences, clauses, phrases or portions be declared invalid or unconstitutional.
Section 8. Effective Date. Within 15 days of the pa ssage of this ordinance, the City Clerk shall cause the full text of the ordinance, with the names of those City Council members voting for and against the ordinance, to be published in the Placer Herald. In lieu of publishing the full text of the ordinanc e, the City Clerk, if so directed by the City Attorney and within 15 days, shall cause a summary of the ordinance, prepared by the City Attorney and with the names of the City Council members voting for and against the ordinance, to be published in the Placer Herald, and shall post i n the office of the City Clerk a certified copy of the full text of the ordinance, along with the names of those City Council members voting for and against the ordinance. The publication of a summary of the ordinance in lieu of the full text of the ordinance is authorized only where the requirements of Government Code section 36933(c)(1) are met.
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Ordinance No. XXXX
INTRODUCED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Rocklin held on February 24, 2026, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers:
NOES: Councilmembers:
ABSENT: Councilmembers:
ABSTAIN: Councilmembers:
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Rocklin held on __________________, 2026, by the following vote:
AYES: Councilmembers:
NOES: Councilmembers:
ABSENT: Councilmembers:
ABSTAIN: Councilmembers:
____________________________________
David Bass, Mayor
ATTEST:
___________________________
Avinta Singh, City Clerk
First Reading: 02.24.2026
Second Reading:
Effective Date:
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