Burbank police outline 2025 military-equipment inventory as residents urge limits on "less-than-lethal" tools

The Burbank Police Department presented its annual military equipment inventory and use policy at a community meeting, outlining what the department classifies as military equipment and how often the items were used in 2025. Residents attending and calling in urged the department to limit or divest such tools and to prioritize spending on mental-health responders and youth programs.

The presentation, introduced as compliance with Assembly Bill 41, explained that the law (signed Sept. 30, 2021, effective Jan. 1, 2022) requires local law enforcement agencies to adopt a military equipment use policy and publish an annual report. The department said it has made the policy and report available on its website under the Transparency tab and referenced Policy 709 for details on authorized uses.

Lieutenant John Fromer, the departmenttactical commander, described the departmentinventory and how items are intended to be used. He said the department did not acquire equipment through federal military surplus programs and that most items were purchased from vendors that manufacture equipment for law enforcement. Fromer said the newer SWAT "recon" robot was deployed six times in 2025 and that the departmentdrones were…