Mandated Disclosures
ASSEMBLY BILL (AB) 481 - MILITARY EQUIPMENT FUNDING, ACQUISITION AND USE POLICY
California Assembly Bill (AB) 481 requires law enforcement agencies to obtain approval of the applicable governing body (Mayor and City Council), by adoption of military equipment use policy prior to taking certain actions relating to the funding, acquisition, or use of military equipment as defined by the legislature.
To help guide this process, and create transparency for our community, the Visalia Police Department has established a link to the 2023 AB 481 Annual Report and full text of AB 481.
AB 481 DEFINITION OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT CATEGORIES
AB 481 has designated the following categories of items as military equipment. The Visalia Police Department has equipment that meets the criteria for 7 of the 15 categories (Equipment Categories 1, 3, 5, 9, 11, 12, and 14):
- Equipment Category 01: Unmanned, remotely piloted, powered aerial or ground vehicles.
- Equipment Category 02: Mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles or armored personnel carriers.
- Equipment Category 03: 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.
- Equipment Category 04: Tracked armored vehicles that provide ballistic protection to their occupants.
- Equipment Category 05: Command and control vehicles that are either built or modified to facilitate the operational control and direction of public safety units.
- Equipment Category 06: Weaponized aircraft, vessels, or vehicles of any kind.
- Equipment Category 07: Battering rams, slugs, and breaching apparatuses that are explosive in nature.
- Equipment Category 08: Firearms and ammunition of .50 caliber or greater, excluding standard-issue shotguns and standard-issue shotgun ammunition.
- Equipment Category 09: 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.
- Equipment Category 10: Any firearms or firearm accessory that is designed to launch explosive projectiles.
- Equipment Category 11: Noise-flash diversionary devices and explosive breaching tools.
- Equipment Category 12: Munitions containing tear gas or OC, excluding standard, service-issued handheld pepper spray.
- Equipment Category 13: TASER® Shockwave, microwave weapons, water cannons, and long-range acoustic devices.
- Equipment Category 14: Kinetic energy weapons and munitions.
- Equipment Category 15: Any other equipment as determined by a governing body or state agency to required additional oversight.
NOTE: Visalia Police Department has not obtained, nor does it utilize, any equipment procured from the United States Department of Defense through the Law Enforcement Support Program (also known as the 1028 or 1033 program).
PUBLIC INPUT REGARDING AB 481
On May 16, 2022, at 7:00 pm, City of Visalia discussed AB 481 at the Council Meeting. Please visit the City's webpage on City Council Meetings & Agendas to view the agenda, and staff report.
If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints, please fill out this form and drop off or mail out to 303 S. Johnson St. Visalia, CA 93291; ATTN: PSB Sergeant. You can also fax the form to 559-713-4861, or email it to Sergeant Art Alvarez at [email protected].