(a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this measure to enhance crime prevention efforts by establishing a pilot program to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies in rural areas to detect and monitor agricultural- and rural-based crimes.

(b) The County of Tulare has developed the Rural Crime Demonstration Project administered by the Tulare County District Attorney’s office under a joint powers agreement with the Tulare County Sheriff’s office entered into pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code.

The parties to that agreement formed a task force to include the office of the Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner. The task force is an interactive team working together to develop problem solving and crime control techniques, to encourage timely reporting of crimes, and to evaluate the results of these activities. The task force conducts joint operations in order to facilitate investigative coordination. The task force consults with experts from the United States military, the California Military Department, the Department of Justice, other law enforcement entities, and various other state and private organizations as deemed necessary to maximize the effectiveness of the task force. Media and community support have been solicited to promote the task force.

The Rural Crime Demonstration Project has proven its cost effectiveness. It is appropriate that the project be expanded into a program that will allow the County of Tulare to continue to operate the task force formed under the above described joint powers agreement, and to permit the Counties of Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus to establish their own programs, pursuant to the provisions of this title, and to collectively establish a task force for the prevention of rural crime in those counties.

(c) The Legislature finds and declares that California has experienced an escalation in agricultural crimes in general, both property and personal, and that there has been no concentrated effort applied to the prevention of crimes against the agricultural industry. Currently, no national or state agency keeps track of statistics on agricultural and rural crime. According to media reports, this state lost millions of dollars worth of crops, livestock, and equipment in 1994 and 1995. A majority of these crimes occurred in agricultural-based counties. However, there has been no effort on the part of any state or local agency to accurately record these types of crimes.

The Legislature further finds and declares that there are no state or local law enforcement agencies in this state with programs that are specially designed to detect or monitor agricultural- and rural-based criminal activities. In addition, local law enforcement agencies do not possess the jurisdictional authority, investigative facilities, or data systems to coordinate a comprehensive approach to the state’s agricultural and rural crime problem.

The Legislature additionally finds and declares that the proliferation of agricultural and rural crime in the various rural counties of this state is a threat to the vitality of our rich agrarian tradition. Agricultural and rural crime, if left unchecked, endangers an entire industry that is vital to America’s continued economic role in the world, and therefore requires a proactive response from the Legislature. The intent of the Legislature in authorizing the Central Valley Rural Crime Prevention Program pursuant to this act is to provide for the protection and safety of the state’s agriculture industry by creating statewide standards and methods of detecting and tracking agrarian and rural crime.

(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 719, Sec. 2. Effective September 20, 2002.)