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HomeGovernment CodeDiv. 4Pt. 3Ch. 4Art. 1§ 31904 County Peace Officer Definitions

§ 31904 County Peace Officer Definitions

Government Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 31904 County Peace Officer Definitions

Key Takeaways

  • •This law lists who counts as a 'county peace officer' in California.
  • •It includes sheriffs, deputies, jailers, and people who work in the sheriff’s office doing police-like jobs.
  • •It also includes county fire fighters, fire inspectors, and people who work to prevent and stop fires.
  • •Office workers, volunteers, or people who don’t get paid and don’t do regular police or fire duties are *not* counted as peace officers.

Example

A deputy sheriff pulls someone over for speeding.

The deputy is a county peace officer because they work for the sheriff and do police work like traffic stops. But a clerk in the sheriff’s office who only does paperwork is not a peace officer under this law.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 31904 County Peace Officer Definitions

“County peace officers” includes: (a) All sheriffs, undersheriffs, chief deputy sheriffs, jailers, turnkeys, deputy sheriffs, bailiffs, process servers, constables, deputy constables, motorcycle officers, its heads and assistant heads of all divisions of the sheriff’s office, and all their regularly appointed deputies. Clerks, bookkeepers, stenographers, and other employees who may have been appointed as deputy sheriffs but who do not perform the duties of any of the peace officers enumerated and honorary deputy sheriffs or other persons holding appointments as deputy sheriffs who receive no compensation therefor and who do not regularly perform particular official duties are not included. (b) All county foresters, county fire wardens, deputy or assistant county foresters, deputy or assistant county fire wardens, heads and assistant heads of all divisions of any county forester’s or county fire warden’s department, and all fire apparatus engineers, fire prevention inspectors, forest firemen, fire patrolmen, fire observers and foremen assigned to fire suppression crews, and all other personnel not specifically excluded, who are assigned to fire prevention and suppression in any county forester’s or county fire warden’s department, and the officers, engineers, and firemen of any county fire protection district, and all other personnel not specifically excluded, who are assigned to fire prevention and suppression in any county fire protection district. Clerks, bookkeepers, stenographers, cooks, laborers, county fire protection district volunteer employees or persons who are not employed for full time duty, or other employees not performing the duties of any of the persons enumerated and any honorary deputy county fire warden or honorary deputy county forester, or voluntary fire warden holding appointment as such but receiving no compensation therefor and not regularly performing particular official duties are not included. (Added by Stats. 1947, Ch. 424.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

county peace officersenforcementpreventionfireemployeedutybailprotection

Related Statutes

  • § 32204 County Fire Suppression Personnel
  • § 55604 Fire Warden Contract Powers
  • § 55606 County Fire Protection Contracts
  • § 55607 County Fire Warden Contracts
  • § 55608 Fire Prevention Contract Powers

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Government Code. Section 31904.
View Official Source