Oxnard police present 2025 military equipment report, seek renewals and new purchases

Commander Steve Trickle presented the Oxnard Police Department's 2025 military equipment use report to the Oxnard City Council, outlining inventory, usage statistics, and requests for ordinance renewal and equipment purchases.

The report, required under Assembly Bill 481 and government code sections 7070'through'7075, summarizes how the department used defined military equipment, any complaints or policy violations, costs and quantities for each item, and planned acquisitions. "There were no complaints related to the military equipment in 2025 nor were there any violations of policies related to the equipment," Trickle said.

Why it matters: AB 481 requires local governing bodies to adopt and annually reapprove a military equipment use policy before a law enforcement agency may acquire or use equipment defined as military equipment. Trickle asked the council to receive the report, renew Oxnard ordinance 3014 (codified at Oxnard City Code section 2-112) as the city's military equipment policy, continue authorization for the department's inventory, and approve acquisition of specific replacement items.

Key findings and counts from the presentation included: Trickle said unmanned aerial systems were deployed 149 times in 2025 (69 tactical assists, 23 field operations, 23 crime-scene mapping/documentation, 20 special-event supports, 11 training and three disaster/search-and-rescue deployments) and that all departmental drone pilots are FAA-certified and flight operations are logged. He also described a Drone First Responder program with three "drone nests" and Brinc Responder drones deployed to 271 incidents (plus 103 training/test flights).

On armored vehicles, Trickle said the department owns two Lenco BearCat vehicles (no weapons installed). The BearCats were used 50 times in 2025: eight responses to armed subjects/assists to patrol, 33 search-warrant responses and nine community engagement events; ongoing maintenance and fuel for each unit are about $1,100 per year. Oxnard does not own tracked armored vehicles; Trickle said the Ventura County Sheriff's Department's Rook was available to Oxnard and used three times in the period at no city cost.

Less-lethal tools and specialized devices were detailed: flashbangs/light-sound diversionary devices were used 22 times in 2025 and achieved compliance on seven occasions; tear gas (CS) was used four times; pepper-ball projectiles were used four times; 12-gauge less-lethal shotguns and 40 mm impact devices were each used twice. Trickle noted that any deployment is a reportable use of force and is reviewed by the Professional Standards Unit, and he reported no complaints in 2025.

Firearms and training: the department uses .223 caliber patrol rifles and six .308 precision rifles assigned to SWAT. Trickle said .223 rifles were pointed on 60 occasions during the reporting period (largely during SWAT search-warrant services); the department spent about $10,598.85 on ammunition and maintenance for rifles, and officers must receive POST-certified training and annual qualification to carry and use these weapons.

Requested acquisitions and funding sources listed in Trickle's presentation included: - Replacement 40 mm rounds (quantity not itemized beyond replenishment), cost $9,360, to be paid from the general fund. - 3,000 PepperBall OC X live powder projectiles, cost $11,529.84, general fund. - Replacement 80 CS tear gas canisters, cost $5,631.71, general fund. - 95 light-sound diversionary devices (flashbangs), cost $4,371.45, general fund. - 24 replacement .223 caliber rifles (patrol rifles over 20 years old), cost $47,945, to be paid from asset seizure/forfeiture funds. - Three DJI Matrice 4T UAVs with 12 batteries (replacement units), total cost $27,459.05, to be purchased from vendor DSLR Pros using existing funds; Trickle said that vendor was the only supplier within 50 miles able to provide DJI equipment, parts and service.

Trickle also described past operational uses of equipment, including a Sept. 8, 2024 deployment of the Transcend Robotics Vantage Robot that helped officers locate a missing person inside a drain pipe; Ventura County Fire Department personnel completed the rescue.

No vote or council action was recorded in the presentation segments provided; Trickle presented the recommendations for council consideration. The presentation repeatedly emphasized transparency measures required by AB 481, including posting the policy and inventory online and holding community meetings as part of the reporting cycle.

Next steps: the items and ordinance renewal were presented for council consideration; the transcript of the presentation does not record a council vote or final action.