POST approves training contracts after hours‑long debate over South Bay costs; staff to audit provider invoices

The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training on March 3 approved a series of training contract renewals for fiscal year 2026–27 after an extended discussion about pricing disparities with a long‑standing provider.

Chair Long opened the discussion by presenting a slate of contracts that included supervisory and specialty courses and said the commission would vote on individual items. Administrative Services Bureau Chief Cheryl Smith outlined the contracts subject to approval and noted the items were spending authorities rather than executed contracts.

Commissioners pressed staff about higher budgeted per‑presentation costs for the South Bay consortium, which several commissioners described as an outlier. "Is this disparity acceptable?" Commissioner Gordon asked, pointing to a South Bay per‑presentation budget that, on paper, was many times higher than other presenters.

Tom Chalk, training program services bureau chief, said the packet showed budgeted rather than actual billed amounts and stressed delivery costs in the Bay Area (hotels, breakout rooms, role players) drive higher budgets. "We've done audits on South Bay's true cost," Chalk said. "We cannot identify any way to cut additional costs right now, but the invoiced amounts are often lower than the budgeted figures shown in your materials." The commission asked staff to supply actual invoice data.

Commissioner Nieto and others urged a fuller review. Commissioner Nieto said she supported the contracts but signaled concern about a pattern of outsized costs in several programs and recommended exploring alternatives including community colleges in the region. "Maybe it's time to look at an RFP," she said.

Robert Tripp, chief of the newly created Compliance, Audit and Accountability bureau, told the commission CAB would review contract invoices and program delivery for efficiency. "CAB assessments and audits will offer an independent perspective," Tripp said in his introduction of the bureau earlier in the meeting. He later confirmed staff would analyze the last two years of invoices and report back.

After discussion and several roll‑call votes, the commission approved the supervisory course, Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute and other major contracts. Many votes were unanimous; some motions passed with abstentions or qualifying statements that staff would return with audit results and possible efficiencies.

Commissioners said they wanted assurance training delivery would not be disrupted while reviews proceed. Executive Director Manny Alvarez proposed a practical approach: approve short‑term spending authority, permit training to continue, and use CAB's upcoming audit to recommend operational changes. "We will look at what they're doing and try to find efficiencies," Alvarez said.

The commission's action keeps a large portion of the state's training calendar intact while signaling oversight to address cost outliers and enrollment shortfalls. Staff committed to return with invoice‑level data and to present findings to the commission, with a goal of actionable recommendations by the September meeting.