Hercules Police
Department
2025 Annual Military Equipment
Report
Assembly Bill 481: Military Equipment Funding,
Acquisition, and Use Policy
September, 2021 Governor Newsom signed into legislation bills designed to increase transparency and reform policing.
• Releasing Records
• Decertification
• Accountability Guidelines
• Increased Eligibility Standards
• Banning Harmful Techniques
• Creating a Public Forum for Funding, Acquisition, Use of Military Equipment What is “Military Equipment”?
Fifteen categories were created in the legislation to define what “Military Equipment” was for the purpose of the Bill:
1. Unmanned, remotely piloted, powered aerial or ground vehicles
2. Mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles or armored personnel carriers
3. 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
4. Tracked armored vehicles that provide ballistic protection to their occupants
5. Command and control vehicles that are either built or modified to facilitate the operational control and direction of public safety units
6. Weaponized aircraft, vessels, or vehicles of any kind
7. Battering rams, slugs, and breaching apparatuses that are explosive in nature
8. Firearms and ammunition of .50 caliber or greater, excluding standard-issue shotguns and standard- issue shotgun ammunition
What is “Military Equipment”? Cont…
9. 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 handguns
10. Any firearm or firearm accessory that is designed to launch explosive projectiles
11. Noise-flash diversionary devices and explosive breaching tools
12. Munitions containing tear gas or OC, excluding standard, service-issued handheld pepper spray
13. TASER® Shockwave, microwave weapons, water cannons, and long-range acoustic devices
14. Kinetic energy weapons and munitions
15. Any other equipment as determined by a governing body or a state agency to require additional oversight
Requirements
of AB 481
• Adopted written policy in May 2022
• Written policy was posted on City Website with 30 days notice prior to public discussion
• Provide itemized list of each item of qualifying military equipment to include:
• Description, quantity, capabilities, expected lifespan • Purpose and authorized use
• Fiscal impact including initial cost and estimated annual costs • Legal and procedural rules governing authorized use
• Prerequisite training prior to being used
• Mechanisms to ensure compliance with policy
• Procedures for complaints
• Prepare an annual report for Council as well as a public forum.
Inventory of qualifying HPD Military Equipment
• HPD currently has in inventory equipment in the following categories:
• Unmanned, remotely piloted, powered aerial devices
• Command and control vehicles that are either built or modified to facilitate the operational control and direction of public safety units
• Specialized firearms and ammunition of less than .50 caliber, including firearms and accessories identified as assault weapons
• Noise-flash diversionary devices and explosive breaching tools • Any firearm or firearm accessory that is designed to launch explosive projectiles • Munitions containing tear gas or OC, excluding standard, service-issued handheld pepper spray • Kinetic energy weapons and munitions
DRONES
• Unmanned, remotely piloted,
powered aerial devices (2
drones)
Command and control vehicles that are either built or modified to facilitate the operational control and direction of public safety units (1 Special Response Team van)
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 handguns (28 - .223 caliber patrol rifles capable of firing 5.56mm ammunition)
Any firearm or firearm
accessory that is designed
to launch explosive
projectiles
(2 – S&W Mod.
1426 40mm launcher)
Kinetic energy
weapons and
munitions (5
Kinetic Energy
shotguns)
Noise-flash diversionary devices and
explosive breaching tools (24 Noise
Flash Diversionary Devices)
Munitions containing tear gas or OC,
excluding standard, service-issued
handheld pepper spray (10 - 12 ga.
“penetrator” rounds capable of
delivering powdered OC through thin
walls or windows. Officers assigned to
the County-wide Mobile Field Force are
issued Def-Tech CS gas canisters while
in that position)
Annual Audit Report
• Complaints or Concerns – 0
• Violations of equipment – 0
• Additional equipment requested – 0
• Injuries caused by military equipment – 0