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Board approves sheriff's annual military-equipment report and ordinance after extensive public opposition to "scattershot" munitions
Summary
After a sheriff's presentation and lengthy public comment opposing multi-projectile ("scattershot") rounds and a proposed PepperBall acquisition, the Alameda County Board accepted the annual military-equipment report and approved inventory amendments and some acquisition requests; supervisors split on the PepperBall and elimination proposals.
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors on Nov. 26 accepted the sheriff's annual military-equipment report required under AB 481 and approved related inventory amendments after extended public comment and a contested vote on acquisition items.
Sheriff's staff, represented by Captain Dan Brody and tactical-unit leaders, presented the report required by state law, reviewed inventory and training (noting that most training during the reporting period was conducted in-house), and described an evaluation that led the department to remove specific multi-projectile munitions from inventory and to correct inventory records. "Military equipment should be deployed to enhance the safety of the public and agency members and to bring critical incidents to safe resolution," Captain Brody said during the presentation.
Many public speakers objected to keeping multi-projectile impact munitions in the county's stockpile and opposed a plan to acquire PepperBall launchers and projectiles. Laura Magnani, among dozens of community speakers, said Alameda's scattershot inventory is large compared with peer counties and argued, "We should be reducing the arsenal, not increasing it." Experts and civil-society speakers cited international guidance and medical groups that have criticized multi-projectile rounds as indiscriminate.
What the board decided: The board moved to accept the annual report (item 85) and to introduce and waive the first full reading of an ordinance amending the county's military-equipment use policy. Roll-call votes recorded in the transcript: - Item 85 (annual report and related determinations): Supervisor Halbert Aye; Supervisor Marquez Aye; Supervisor Tam Aye; President Miley Yes; Supervisor Carson Abstain — motion carried (4 ayes, 1 abstain). - Item 86 (inventory corrections and approval of certain acquisition requests, including replacement of an older launcher with a PepperBall system and changes to quantities): recorded votes show Halbert Yes, Marquez No, Tam Yes, Miley Yes, Carson No — motion carried (3 yes, 2 no).
Sheriff's office officials emphasized they had removed certain rounds and reduced overall counts in many categories. The presentation said the department would remove 783 items (including 426 chemical agents and 357 impact rounds) and that an audit found no policy violations during the reporting period. Officials also said the department held a community engagement meeting on Sept. 11 (9 in-person, 34 virtual viewers) as part of the AB 481 process.
Public concerns and next steps: Speakers demanded stronger, explicit prohibitions on using less-lethal munitions against people in mental-health crisis, the elderly, children or others unable to comply; requested clearer mutual-aid limits so Alameda equipment could not be used in jurisdictions that bar these devices; and urged the board to revisit the policy in public protection committee for a future, more detailed policy review. One proposed substitute motion to remove multi-projectile munitions and block PepperBall acquisitions failed for lack of a second; after debate the original motion passed.
