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Council renews South Gate police military-equipment policy and accepts annual report
Summary
The council received and filed the police department’s annual military equipment report and renewed the municipal policy required by state law; the department reported 12 uses of covered equipment in the 2024 report and staff agreed to correct an older report posted online.
The South Gate City Council voted to receive and file the police department’s annual military equipment report and renewed the city’s military equipment policy on April 8.
Lieutenant Brown presented the police department’s report and a draft policy update, saying the department had posted its 2024 annual report on the department website on March 5. Brown told the council the report summarizes 12 incidents in which equipment defined under the policy — ranging from drones to use of an armored MRAP vehicle — was deployed in 2024.
Brown framed the policy in state law terms, saying Assembly Bill 41 (as quoted in the presentation) created a statutory framework (cited in the presentation as Government Code section 770) that requires local policies and an annual public report on military equipment. The city’s policy (South Gate Municipal Code 1.39.0.01 in the council report) requires annual council review.
Council members asked for clarification about the items and frequency of use. Lieutenant Brown said the set of items the department considers “military equipment” is a small share of overall police gear. Staff and council also flagged that some posted materials online were an older (2022) report; Brown and staff agreed to ensure the website displays the current 2024 report.
A motion to receive the report, find the CEQA exemption cited in staff materials and renew the municipal military equipment policy was approved by roll call. The council did not change policy language at the meeting; the action keeps the policy in effect for the coming year and requires the police department to continue annual reporting.
