Constitution of the State of California 1879 Art. V, § 13

Sec. 13.  Subject to the powers and duties of the Governor, the Attorney General shall be the chief law officer of the State.  It shall be the duty of the Attorney General to see that the laws of the State are uniformly and adequately enforced.  The Attorney General shall have direct supervision over every district attorney and sheriff and over such other law enforcement officers as may be designated by law, in all matters pertaining to the duties of their respective offices, and may require any of said officers to make reports concerning the investigation, detection, prosecution, and punishment of crime in their respective jurisdictions as to the Attorney General may seem advisable.  Whenever in the opinion of the Attorney General any law of the State is not being adequately enforced in any county, it shall be the duty of the Attorney General to prosecute any violations of law of which the superior court shall have jurisdiction, and in such cases the Attorney General shall have all the powers of a district attorney.  When required by the public interest or directed by the Governor, the Attorney General shall assist any district attorney in the discharge of the duties of that office.