Monterey police detail AB 481 inventory, say they will ask council to approve two command vehicles

Assistant Chief Mike Bruno of the Monterey Police Department opened an AB 481 town hall and outlined the department's inventory of equipment, recent uses and a planned request to the City Council for two supervisor command vehicles.

"It's for the military equipment funding acquisition and use," Bruno said, summarizing the statute known as AB 481, which was signed Sept. 30, 2021 and is codified in the Government Code to increase transparency, accountability and oversight for acquisition and use of military equipment.

Bruno walked through the statute's broad list of equipment, noting it covers drones (both commercial and law-enforcement types), armored and tracked vehicles, command-and-control vehicles, breaching tools, and firearms of .50 caliber and greater. He clarified the list describes what AB 481 defines as military equipment, and that some listed items are not necessarily held by the department.

On local policy, Bruno said MPD follows Policy 706, originally adopted by ordinance in April 2022 and renewed…