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BACKGROUND AB 481 was enacted in 2021 to create consistency for the funding, acquisition and use of military equipment by law enforcement agencies and to increase transparency, accountability and oversight for the acquisition and use of certain equipment. The bill requires a law enforcement agency to obtain approval of the applicable governing body (City Council) by adopting a military equipment use policy, as specified, by ordinance at a regular meeting held pursuant to specified open meeting laws, prior to taking certain actions relating to the funding, acquisition, or use of military equipment as defined. The bill also requires an annual review by City Council to renew or disapprove the authorization of this equipment and the creation of a military equipment use policy and publish that policy on the agency's website. The items in use by the police department are used in traditional law enforcement applications and are not solely used by the military. The proposed Military Equipment Use Ordinance, Military Equipment Use Policy, and Inventory Equipment List are attached to this report at Attachments 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Definition of Military Equipment AB 481 designates items in the following categories as military equipment (items used or sought by the police department are in italics): • Unmanned, remotely piloted, powered aerial or ground vehicles. • Mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles or armored personnel carriers • High mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWV), two-and-one-half-ton trucks, five-ton trucks, or wheeled vehicles that have a breaching or entry apparatus attached • Tracked armored vehicles that provide ballistic protection to their occupants • Command and control vehicles that are either built or modified to facilitate the operational control and direction of public safety units • Weaponized aircraft, vessels, or vehicles of any kind • Battering rams, slugs, and breaching apparatuses that are explosive in nature. This does not include a handheld, one-person ram • Firearms and ammunition of .50 caliber or greater, excluding standard-issue shotguns and standard-issue shotgun ammunition • Specialized firearms and ammunition of less than .50 caliber, including firearms and accessories identified as assault weapons in Penal Code § 30510 and Penal Code § 30515, with the exception of standard-issue firearms • Any firearm or firearm accessory that is designed to launch explosive projectiles • Noise-flash diversionary devices and explosive breaching tools • Munitions containing tear gas or OC, excluding standard, service-issued handheld pepper spray • TASER® Shockwave, microwave weapons, water cannons, and long-range acoustic devices (LRADs) • Kinetic energy weapons and munitions Page 2 of 6