The Chula Vista City Council unanimously approved the Military Equipment Policy to comply with state law, which requires police departments to outline and explain their inventory of military equipment on an annual basis.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 481 on Sept.30, 2021, as a push for greater transparency in the use of military-style equipment by law enforcement agencies. The legislation has designated what is considered as “military equipment” regardless if it was procured from the military, or not.
Under AB 481, law enforcement agencies are required to create a policy that chronicles their military-style gear, such as drones, armored vehicles, and less lethal tools. Details of the equipment must include the quantity, its purpose and authorized use, and all costs.
With the City Council’s approval on May 3, the CVPD will be required to receive council approval before purchasing equipment and presenting its inventory annually. CVPD Chief Roxana Kennedy said that “nothing is any different than it has been for many years”, and the department has used most of the listed equipment since 1970.
Dozens of community members opposed the department’s policy and questioned why the department omitted its quantity of AR-15 rifles while others in San Diego County have included them. The AR-15 is considered the civilian version of the military M-16 rifle.
Police departments in San Diego County that identified assault rifles as standard issue weapons and included them in their military equipment policies include Carlsbad, Coronado, Escondido, National City, Oceanside, and San Diego, as well as the county Sheriff’s Office.
Community activists expressed concern about CVPD's investment in military-style gear. The policy states its military-style equipment costs $1.98 million, without maintenance costs.
CVPD Investigations Division Capt. Dan Peak said none of the equipment used by the department was obtained from the military. He stressed that the department does not participate in the federal 1033 Surplus Military Equipment Program.
“The equipment is used to protect the lives of our citizens and our officers. It is used to de-escalate situations and bring situations to a safe resolution”.
Peak cited a 24-hour SWAT last February in which drones, armored vehicles, tear gas, and robots were used to arrest a 63-year-old man barricaded inside a home, claiming to have high-powered weapons.
“The situation would have been very tragic if we didn't have these tools,” Peak said.
