The Gilroy Police Department, along with other law enforcement agencies throughout the state, must seek approval from the city council any time it plans to purchase items deemed to be “military equipment,” under a law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September.
Assembly Bill 481 also requires agencies to publicly list their inventory of military equipment, and create a policy that outlines the use and cost of each item.
Gilroy Police Capt. Luke Powell said the department has items that meet the criteria for six out of the 15 categories of military equipment defined by the California Government Code.
That includes a Lenco Bearcat armored vehicle which it shares with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and Morgan Hill Police Department, as well as four drones, three robots, and 35 rifles used by SWAT personnel, among other things.
Powell noted that all of the items have been utilized by police for years to “enhance the safety of the community and law enforcement members,” and none of them are newly acquired.
“All of these essential items allow us to provide the highest quality of service and provide police officers the ability to safely resolve volatile situations and critical incidents that potentially would become lethal force encounters in their absence,” he told the council on April 4.
The police department is currently drafting a military equipment policy, as mandated by Assembly Bill 481, which is expected to be considered by the council in May. Also required by the law, police must hold a public meeting during the drafting process.
That meeting is scheduled for April 7 from 5-6:30pm at the Gilroy Police Department Community Room, 7301 Hanna St. Officials will discuss how the equipment has assisted officers over the years, and some of the items will be on display.
The draft policy and equipment inventory can be found at bit.ly/3DHNgGT.
