RESOLUTION NO. 2026-53
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VISALIA RENEWING VISALIA POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICY 708, MILITARY EQUIPMENT WHEREAS, On September 30, 2021, California Assembly Bill 481, relating to the use of military equipment by law enforcement agencies in the State of California, was signed into law; and WHEREAS, Assembly Bill 481, codified in Government Code sections 7070-7015, requires law enforcement agencies to obtain approval by ordinance from the applicable governing body of a “military equipment” (as that term is defined in Government Code section 7070) policy, during a regular meeting prior to taking specified actions relating to the funding, acquisition, or use of the defined types of military equipment; and WHEREAS, Assembly Bill 481, the California Government Code (Gov. Code § 7070 et seq.), and Policy 708, requires that the Visalia Police Department submit an annual military equipment report to the legislative body, and for the Department to hold a public community engagement meeting, at which the general public may discuss and ask questions regarding the annual military equipment report, including the funding, acquisition, or use of military equipment; and WHEREAS, Government Code section 7071(e)(1) and (2) requires that the legislative body review the ordinance that adopted Visalia Department Policy 708 and vote on whether to renew it annually along with reviewing the equipment identified in the annual report has been used appropriately and deciding whether to allow the continued use of the specified equipment; and WHEREAS, In 2022, in compliance with Assembly Bill 481, the Visalia City Council passed Ordinance 2022-09, adopting a military equipment use policy identified as Visalia Police Department Policy Number 708 – Military Equipment; and WHEREAS, The Visalia Police Department has reviewed the deployment and use of the inventoried equipment during the annual report period, included descriptions of such deployment and use in the report, and considers such usage to have followed applicable policies; and WHEREAS, The policy and the required annual report were submitted for review by the Visalia Police Department and the documents were made available on the City of Visalia Website on June 24, 2026; and WHEREAS, a public hearing was held on August 3, 2026, that included a presentation of related to the use of military equipment in the previous year.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS:
Visalia Police Department Policy 708, Military Equipment, complies with Ordinance 2022- 09, and is renewed pursuant to Assembly Bill 481 and Government Code Section 7070 et. seq.
The annual military equipment report submitted by the Visalia Police Department has been reviewed and each type of military equipment identified in that report complies with the standards set forth in Government Code section 7071(d): the identified equipment is necessary because there is no reasonable alternative that can achieve the same objective of officer and civilian safety; the military equipment use policy safeguards the public’s welfare, safety, civil rights, and civil liberties; the equipment that is being purchased is reasonably cost effective compared to available alternatives that can achieve the same objective of officer and civilian safety; military equipment usage complied with the relevant policy; and the equipment use policy was made publicly available.
Continued usage of the equipment identified in the annual report by the Visalia Police Department as military equipment in accordance with California law and applicable Visalia Police Department Policy 708, is hereby authorized.
PASSED AND ADOPTED: August 3, 2026 LESLIE B. CAVIGLIA, CITY CLERK
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF TULARE ) ss.
CITY OF VISALIA )
I, Leslie B. Caviglia, City Clerk of the City of Visalia, certify the foregoing is the full and true Resolution 2026-53 passed and adopted by the Council of the City of Visalia at a regular meeting held on August 3, 2026.
Dated: August 4, 2026 LESLIE B. CAVIGLIA, CITY CLERK By Reyna Rivera, Chief Deputy City Clerk