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Salinas police present AB 481 equipment report: most specialized gear saw little or no use in 2025
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Summary
The Salinas Police Department told the Police Community Advisory Committee that most military or specialized equipment listed under AB 481 had zero or low authorized uses in 2025, while the mobile command vehicle underwent an expensive June 2025 upgrade; officials said procurement and grant funding are ongoing.
The Salinas Police Department reported to its Police Community Advisory Committee on its AB 481 annual military-equipment report, saying most categories of specialized equipment reported no unauthorized uses in 2025 and limited authorized deployment.
Chief Acosta told the committee the ordinance (Article 3, Chapter 27 of the Salinas Municipal Code, ordinance No. 2657) is being renewed and the departmentreleased its annual report on Jan. 28, 2026. "The purpose is for law enforcement operations to preserve life and enhance public safety," the chief said, describing authorized uses such as aerial photography, locating fleeing suspects and high-risk search warrants.
The report listed 397 authorized uses of unmanned aerial systems (drones) in 2025 and reported zero unauthorized-use complaints for that category. Rescue vehicles (MRAPs) had 18 authorized uses and a combined annual cost of $30,860.78. The department said two mobile command vehicles were used: a mobile incident command vehicle (five uses; the presentation listed an annual cost of $148,982.12, reflecting a June 2025 council-approved renovation) and an ICAC forensics vehicle (13 uses; annual cost $245.15). Officials said higher 2025 costs for the mobile command vehicle stemmed from major equipment, radio and computing upgrades approved in June 2025.
On less-lethal and tactical categories, many items showed zero authorized uses for 2025. Presenters said distraction devices (flashbangs) and certain chemical-agent training rounds had limited reported annual costs tied to training; the department explained that purchase costs are recorded separately in the AB 41 procurement report while the slide deck reports annual maintenance or training costs. "When we purchase any of these equipments, it has to go to city council," a department presenter said, adding that detailed procurement entries and item counts are included in the full AB 41 annual report.
Committee members urged better transparency on inventory counts. One member said the slide summary could mislead the public if a high purchase cost appears without showing existing quantities. The presenter said inventory details are available in the annual report and acknowledged that including counts on summary slides would be lengthy but possible in the full report.
The department also outlined anticipated purchases: continuing mobile command-vehicle upgrades if funding is secured, pursuing a tactical armored vehicle tailored for urban environments, and case-by-case replacement of specialized rifles. Officials said grant funding has covered portions of upgrades in the past, but city council authorization is required before applying for AB 481-related grants.
The committee voted earlier in the meeting to approve January minutes; no formal procurement actions were taken during the presentation. The department invited ongoing feedback and a community meeting on AB 481 was scheduled for after the advisory meeting, with council review of the ordinance renewal set for March 10, 2026.
