Elk Grove council affirms AB 481 renewal after public concern over drones, armored vehicle and license-plate readers

Elk Grove — The City Council on March 11 approved the annual review and renewal tied to Assembly Bill 481 after public commenters urged the city to remove the item from the consent calendar and hold a separate community meeting.

Chief Bobby Davis presented the Elk Grove Police Department’s AB 481 report, noting the council adopted the underlying ordinance in 2022 (listed as Ordinance No. 11-20-22 in the staff report) and that the department posted a detailed annual report online. "We use unmanned aerial systems…for suspect apprehension, missing‑person searches, major collision investigations, crime scene photography and tactical missions," Davis said, and listed planned 2026 purchases: five drones to bolster the drone program, one armored vehicle to replace a 10‑year‑old vehicle, replenishment of existing inventory, robots for safe entry, and upkeep of less‑lethal options and firearms. Davis said the department had no complaints or policy violations related to military equipment in 2025 and stated the license‑plate‑reader retention period is 30 days.

Public commenters and community advocates pressed the council to treat the staff meeting requirement under AB 481 as a distinct, well‑publicized community engagement event rather than a concurrent council meeting. Speakers raised questions about how often drones and armored vehicles are used, retention and sharing of camera footage and reader data, and whether the police department’s community meeting obligations were met. One commenter urged termination of the city’s automatic license‑plate‑reader contract with a private vendor over data‑sharing concerns.

City Attorney remarks to the council summarized his reading of the law: the AB 481 statute does not expressly require the community meeting be held separately from a council meeting and staff reported that the department’s staff report and the opportunity for public comment on the agenda item satisfied the statutory community‑engagement element as presented that evening. At least one councilmember moved to pull the item from the consent calendar so the chief could present and answer questions before the council voted.

Councilmembers asked follow‑ups about the armored vehicle’s age and use and the timing of drone acquisitions; the chief replied the current armored vehicle was about 10 years old and that new equipment could take about two years to outfit. After discussion, the council voted to approve the item as presented. The clerk called for ayes and the motion carried with no recorded negative votes.

What’s next: The department will post policy documents and reports on its website for public review and remain the point of contact for follow‑up questions, the chief said.

(Reporting is based on the March 11, 2026 Elk Grove City Council meeting and the staff presentation and public comments recorded at the meeting.)