Costa Mesa
Police Department
Annual AB 481 Report
FY 2024/2025
______________________________________________________________________ On August 2, 2022, military equipment, as defined under Government Code 7070, was approved for police use by the Costa Mesa Cit y Council, consistent with Assembly Bill (AB) 481. The policy regarding use of such equipment is documented under Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) Policy Manual sect ion 706 and is publicly available on the Costa Mesa Police Department website. Types, quantities, descriptions, and costs of equipment are contained in section 706.5 of t he Policy Manual. As of this report, the items, uses, their quantities, their costs, and their purpos es have not changed. The Department does not currently to acquire equi pment beyond what is already authorized in Policy 706.
From April 17, 2024 to April 17, 2025, the CMPD has received zero (0) complaints about any of the items outli ned in Policy Section 706.5. Duri ng the same period, there were zero (0) internal audits and zero (0) violations of the AB 481 Equipment Use Policy.
The CMPD recognizes critical incidents can be unpredictable and rapidly evolving. The equipment listed in the AB 481 Equipment Use Policy greatly assists law enforcement in bringing those incidents to a safe and swift resolution. The use of AB 481 equipment is continuously evaluated by department personnel to ensure compliance with State law and Department policy/procedure.
The following section outlines the AB 481 equipment used by members of the CMPD from April 17, 2024 to April 17, 2025. Certain items of AB 481 equipment, particularly consumables (ammunition, diversionary devices, pepper balls, chemical agents, etc.) are used throughout the year on a regular basis for training and maintaining operational proficiency. Training usage is not captured in this section. This section only provides data for the operational use of AB 481 equipm ent listed within this annual AB 481 Use Summary Report.
The CMPD utilizes or displays certain piec es of AB 481 equipment during outreach and community engagement events as a means of raising awareness, transparency, and education. Such events include but are not limited to, the CMPD Citizens Academy, National Night Out, the Lion’s Club Fish Fry, and Imaginology events. The usage of the equipment in these events is not reflected in this report.
Other items listed in the CMPD Policy Manual section 7 06.5 that are no t specifically mentioned in the summary above were not used during the time frame of this report.
Specifics regarding the purpos e of each item, the associ ated costs and the quantity possessed is outlined under CMPD Policy Manual Section 706 and 706.5 (Attached).
The following is data for AB 481 use by category:
VEHICLES
Mobile Command Vehicle (MCV)
The MCV was used a total of (8) times from April 17, 2024 to April 17, 2025, during official law enforcement activities in accordance with CMPD policy.
Authorized Usages:
Only officers trained in the use and depl oyment of the MCV shall drive the vehicle under the direction of the Chief of Police, Field Operations Captain, Support Services Captain, SWAT Commander, Watch Commander, or their designee. Situations where the MCV may be deployed include but are not limited to:
Critical incidents
Natural disasters
Special events
Training
Emergencies
Armored Rescue Vehicles (ARVs)
The CMPD ARV was used (4) times from April 17, 2024 to April 17, 2025
Authorized Use:
The ARVs use shall be authorized by the Chief of Police, Division Commander, Watch Commander, or SWAT Commander based on the specific circumstances of a given critical incident. ARVs shall only be used by personnel trained in their deployment and in a manner consistent with Department policies/procedures. Sit uations, where the ARVs may be deployed, include but are not limited to:
Critical incidents
Natural disasters
Special events
Training
Emergencies
SPECIALIZED TACTICAL EQUIPMENT
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)
UASs were utilized at total of (137) times from April 17, 2024 to April 17, 2025, during official law enf orcement activities in accordance with CMPD policy.
Authorized usages:
Only assigned operators who have comp leted the required training shall be permitted to operate any UAS duri ng approved missions. The UAS is to be deployed when its capabilities w ould assist officers or incident commanders with the following situations, which include but are not limited to:
Major collision investigations
Search for missing persons
Natural disaster management
Crime scene photography
SWAT, tactical, or other public safety and life preservation missions.
In response to specific requests from local, State, or Federal fire authorities for fire response and/or prevention.
Tactical Robot
The Tactical Robot was not used from April 17, 2024 to April 17, 2025.
Authorized usages:
The tactical robot shall only be deployed by Department personnel trained in its use, and with the approval of the SWAT Commander, Watch Commander, or their designee. Sit uations, where the robots may be deployed, include but are not limited to:
Critical incidents
Natural disasters
Special events
LESS- LETHAL DEVICES
40mm Launchers and Munitions
40mm launchers and munitions were not used from April 17, 2024 to April 17, 2025.
Authorized usages:
Situations where the deployment of less-lethal impact or chemical munitions are authorized include but are not limited to:
Self-destructive, dangerous, and/or combative individuals. Riot/crowd control and civil unrest incidents where the criminal behavior involved exceeds a failure to disburse or curfew violation.
Circumstances where a tactic al advantage can be obtained. Vicious animals
Training exercises or approved demonstrations
Tactical situations invo lving the deployment of the
Department's SWAT Team in cluding but not limited to,
barricaded subjects.
PepperBall Launcher and Munitions
PepperBall launcher and munitions were used (4) times from April 17, 2024 to April 17, 2025
Authorized usages:
Only officers who have received certif ication in the use of PepperBall are authorized to use PepperBa ll. Situations where the Pepperball may be deployed include, but are not limited to:
Tactical situations invo lving the deployment of the
Department's SWAT Team
Training exercises or approved demonstrations
Potentially vicious animals
Circumstances where a tactical advantage can be obtained Riot/crowd control and civil unrest incidents
Self-destructive, dangerous, and/ or combative individuals
Chemical and Smoke Canisters
Chemical and smoke canisters were not used from April 17, 2024 to April 17, 2025
Authorized usages:
Only SWAT officers who have received POST certification in the use of chemical agents are author ized to use chemical agents. Situations where the chemical agents may be deployed include, but are not limited to:
Self-destructive, dangerous, and/ or combative individuals Riot/crowd control and civil unrest incidents
Circumstances where a tactic al advantage can be obtained. Potentially vicious animals
Training exercises or approved demonstrations
Tactical situations invo lving the deployment of the
Department's SWAT Team.
FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION
Rifles and Ammunition
Rifles and associated ammunition were deployed, but never fired, various times during official law enforcement ac tivities in accordance with CMPD policy.
Authorized usages:
Only officers POST certified in the us e of the rifle are authorized to deploy them in the field. Situat ions where rifles may be used include, to prevent serious bodily injury or death to self or others and during training.