Burbank Police present AB 481 military equipment report; commissioners press for clearer inventory data

The Burbank Police Department presented its annual military-equipment report required by Assembly Bill 481 at a community engagement meeting on Feb. 19, 2025, outlining what equipment the department keeps, how often items were deployed in 2024 and the oversight mechanisms that govern deployment.

The report, delivered by Sergeant Steve Turner, Professional Standards and Public Information Officer for the department, lists 11 categories of equipment the department classifies under AB 481 and describes authorized uses, expected lifespans and fiscal impacts. Turner said the report and a public engagement meeting are required by the law and that the city council must approve the department’s military-equipment use policy and inventory.

Turner described several pieces of equipment and how they were used in 2024. The department’s unmanned aircraft systems (drones) were deployed 31 times, mainly for aerial photography of traffic collisions, crime-scene documentation, searches and event overwatch such as Holiday in the Park and the Mayor’s Tree Lighting Ceremony. The department has seven trained drone operators, Turner said. The department’s armored personnel carrier (Bearcat), purchased with State Homeland Security Grant Program and Urban…