March 25, 2025
Police Department
DATE: March 25, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Bisa French, Chief of Police
Timothy Simmons, Assistant Chief of Police
John Lopez, Police Captain
Subject:
AB 481 “Military Equipment Use” Annual Report
FINANCIAL IMPACT: None.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
October 4, 2022
October 18, 2022
May 7, 2024
January 7, 2025
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The annual military equipment inventory report and
department policy no. 707 are subject to annual City
Council review.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
ADOPT a resolution (1) accepting the 2024 Annual
Military Equipment Report; (2) determining that the Police Department’s use of military equipment in 2024 complied with the Department’s Military Equipment Policy No. 707 and state law; and (3) to renew the authorizing ordinance No. 12-22 N.S. / Military Equipment Use Policy - Police Department (Bisa French 510-621-1802).
AGENDA
REPORT
March 25, 2025
DISCUSSION:
Background:
In response to the City Council’s directive for the previous 2023 Military Equipment Annual Report, the police department has updated the military equipment use policy (No. 707) with the following update (Attachment 1):
The Richmond Police Department (RPD) added information relating to each individual use of equipment that is required to be tracked by Assembly Bill 481 (Government Code § 7070 et seq.) (Attachment 2). This additional detail/information was requested by members of the public and is updated monthly by the police department. This allows usage to be tracked by the public throughout the year prior to the release of the required annual report.
These changes have been incorporated into the 2024 annual report which is being submitted for approval along with the updated police department military equipment use policy (no. 707) (Attachment 3).
In response to the City Council’s directive on January 7, 2025, the police department has developed a process to collect data for when the police rifle is displayed in public during a call for service. After each display of a police rifle, the on-duty watch commander will submit a completed AB 481 Reporting – Equipment Use form documenting the circumstances of the display. This information will be tracked and presented in the next AB481 annual report.
Discussion:
City staff recommends that the City Council review and adopt a resolution accepting the 2024 Military Equipment Annual Report and renew the authorizing ordinance Military Equipment Use Policy (no. 707) to ensure that the Richmond Police Department will continue to have access to each of its existing pieces of qualifying equipment and to affirm the corresponding policies and procedures applicable to maintenance and use of the equipment (Attachment 4).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – RPD Policy 707
Attachment 2 – RPD AB 481 Reporting – Equipment Use Form Attachment 3 – RPD Military Equipment Annual Report
Attachment 4 – Resolution