Council receives police 'military equipment' report; first reading of new use policy approved
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Summary
The Whittier City Council received the annual military-equipment report from the police department, asked detailed questions about drones and crowd-control equipment, and approved a first reading of a new ordinance governing use of such equipment.
The Whittier City Council on Aug. 26 received the Police Department’s 2024 military-equipment annual report and conducted the first reading of Ordinance No. 3166, a new policy governing the use of equipment the state classifies as "military." Council voted to receive the report and to advance the ordinance for further consideration.
Why it matters: The state’s definition includes items that police agencies have long used as less‑lethal tools — drones, armored vehicles, launchers and impact projectiles — and the policy clarifies training, reporting and public transparency requirements for equipment use in Whittier.
Council members asked detailed questions about how often equipment is used, how officers are certified and the public reporting that follows any substantial deployment. Council member Mary Anne Pacheco, who read from the 52-page packet and led questioning, emphasized the need for clarity on deployment, training and post-event reporting.
Chief Aviv Bar told the council mutual‑aid responses can take an hour to mobilize, and that local response times explain why the department maintains some equipment in‑house. "Mutual aid takes about an hour to mobilize and to get to the city," the chief said. "Response times and the ability for our department to handle anything that happens in the city is of utmost importance." He also explained that modern less‑lethal options grew from earlier tools: "Thirty‑five years ago when I started, we had a gun and a stick. That's all we had."
Council and staff discussed drones at length. The department said drones are used for officer safety and event monitoring, broadcast live to officers and — when used to capture criminal activity — footage is preserved and submitted in criminal cases. Officials said many local police agencies now use drones and that the department deploys them at least daily for events or tactical needs; smaller indoor drones are used to clear buildings in dangerous situations.
On crowd-control munitions and launchers, staff said use follows standard escalation/de‑escalation training and POST certification when required. The department also said state law requires public reporting if kinetic munitions are used against a crowd in civil unrest.
Formal council action: A motion to receive and file the 2024 military equipment report and conduct the first reading of Ordinance No. 3166 passed by roll call vote: Councilmember Warner, Aye; Councilmember Pacheco, Aye; Councilmember Dutra, Aye; Mayor Pro Tem Martinez, Aye; Mayor Venetieri, Aye. The motion advanced the ordinance for additional consideration and set the framework for required reporting and review.
What the ordinance does: Ordinance No. 3166 establishes a use policy for equipment state law designates as "military equipment," rescinds a prior ordinance and sets public‑reporting standards and training requirements. The ordinance moves policy-making into a public framework that specifies when and how items such as drones, armored vehicles and less‑lethal launchers may be used and what post‑deployment reports the public may expect.
Ending: The council accepted the report and approved the ordinance’s first reading; the item will return for final adoption and any additional implementation steps required under state law.
