Calif. PD will soon need council approval to buy, use military equipment

By Judith Prieve
Bay Space Information Group

PITTSBURG, Calif. — Pittsburg will quickly have new guidelines for the shopping for, buying and utilizing army tools for its police division.

The Metropolis Council on Tuesday accepted an ordinance establishing a army tools use coverage that requires the police division to get approval from the council earlier than buying or buying such tools. The ordinance handed unanimously, with council members Merl Craft and Shanelle Scales-Preston absent.

The brand new ordinance, which can return for adoption in two weeks, stems from Meeting Invoice 481, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on Sept. 30, 2021, together with six different police reform legal guidelines. The invoice requires regulation enforcement businesses to determine insurance policies and procure approvals from their governing our bodies for army tools.

Authored by Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, AB 481 goals to deal with the considerations about transparency, accountability and oversight surrounding regulation enforcement’s acquisition and use of army tools.

Beneath the ordinance, Pittsburg police will have the ability to proceed to make use of the army tools it already owns.

The time period “army tools,” as used within the invoice, nevertheless, doesn’t essentially consult with tools the army makes use of. “Navy tools” contains such gadgets as unmanned aerial or floor automobiles, armored automobiles, command and management automobiles, 40mm kinetic power launchers, chemical munitions and diversionary gadgets, based on the workers report.

[ Why cops need armored vehicles: 13 times BearCats saved lives]

Pittsburg Police Capt. Patrick Wentz mentioned the police division doesn’t have army surplus tools however has commercially bought tools in six of the 15 army tools classes outlined within the invoice. Most of that tools is used throughout important incidents, he mentioned.

Pittsburg’s police division presently has 9 unmanned aerial automobiles, a BATT armored transport, two command management heart automobiles, specialised firearms and ammunition, tear fuel and flashbang diversionary gadgets.

A few of these gadgets are utilized by police departments, together with Pittsburg, and are thought of “finest practices” for officers’ and residents’ security.
“The tools included below AB 481 does support in offering distance and time permitting for us and our officers to determine communication with people and offering further alternative to de-escalate conditions,” Wentz mentioned. “It could additionally present ballistic defend resistance to rescue people or critically injured people concerned in harmful conditions.”

Wentz added that “the much less and non-lethal instruments below AB481 present officers with these much less or non-lethal deadly choices.”

The police captain added that the tools “is critical as a result of there isn’t a affordable various.”

“It’ll safeguard the general public welfare,” he mentioned.

Additionally, as a part of the ordinance, the police chief or designee will function army tools coordinator for the drive, and an annual tools report have to be given, based on the workers report.

No group members spoke throughout public feedback, however Councilman Jelani Killings gave “kudos to the (police) division for main when it comes to transparency” and ensuring the division “has what’s essential to hold the group secure.”

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