Rules Committee delays vote on Sheriff's military-equipment report after community concern and pending investigation

The Rules Committee on Monday continued a resolution that would accept the San Francisco Sheriff's 2024 Military Equipment Use Policy annual report and inventory and approve several equipment purchases and continued use of existing items.

Sheriff Paul Miyamoto and department staff gave a detailed presentation on the department's Military Equipment Use Policy inventory and deployment history for calendar year 2024, describing items that include unmanned aerial systems (drones), a mobile command vehicle and rapid-response vehicles, patrol and special-response rifles, sniper rifles, diversionary devices ("flashbangs"), chemical-agent launchers and less-lethal impact munitions. The sheriff said most listed items were used only for training during 2024 and identified specific counts and training or deployment instances.

Miyamoto said the department requests replenishments for items used during the reporting period and one new item: a targeted chemical-agent launcher (a pepper-ball VKS Pro) and a PPC breacher. He described that launcher as capable of firing a break-on-impact projectile carrying an irritant up to about 150 feet, and said it has a targeting system intended to concentrate effect on an individual rather than a broad area. He emphasized certified training and limited authorized users for such platforms.

Committee members questioned where training and deployments take place after an incident on May 21, 2024, when the sheriff's office conducted chemical-agent training at the San Bruno complex and dispersal reportedly affected a nearby elementary school. Miyamoto said internal administrative reports are still being completed and that the department has ceased outdoor chemical-agent training, is reviewing procedures, and has been working with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. He said the Department of Police Accountability (DPA) has not received formal misconduct complaints about equipment use in 2024 but that the sheriff's department has received community complaints related to the San Bruno training.

Public commenters urged the committee not to further "militarize" civilian policing, questioned whether the new chemical-agent item should be considered while an investigation is ongoing, and urged more restraint. One commenter, a longtime civilian volunteer and criminal-justice academic, urged the committee to approve the sheriff's requests, arguing training and tools help keep officers and the public safe. Committee Chair Walton said it was not appropriate to approve the equipment requests while the investigation is ongoing and moved to continue the item to the next week's meeting. The committee voted to continue the matter; the motion passed without objection.

The sheriff's written inventory and a presentation listing items, usage counts for 2024, and proposed equipment were included in the committee materials. The committee did not act on equipment approvals and will reconsider the resolution at its next meeting after the investigation is further along.