Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Police annual military-equipment report: department bought suppressors and ammunition; council renews ordinance
Summary
City attorney and police staff reported that between July 2025–July 2026 the police department purchased suppressors and 25 cases of .223 ammunition (about $11,500) and logged more than 100 UAV missions; the departmental AB 481 report recorded zero complaints and zero uses of military equipment, and council voted to renew Ordinance 12-17.
The City Council received the Los Banos Police Department’s AB 481-required military-equipment annual report on Aug. 5 and subsequently voted to reauthorize the existing local ordinance (Ordinance 12‑17).
City Attorney Mary Lerner summarized the report’s required elements, saying the department holds equipment that fits five of the statute’s 15 categories. Between July 2025 and July 2026 the department acquired specialized firearms accessories (suppressors at about $550 each) and purchased ammunition (25 cases of .223, totaling $11,500). The report also listed more than 100 unmanned aerial vehicle missions during the period, with uses ranging from stormwater evaluations to tactical locating of wanted subjects. The mobile command post deployed roughly four times. The department reported zero citizen complaints alleging use of military equipment and zero applications of force involving that equipment during the reporting period.
Following the presentation and a brief public hearing with no speakers, council voted to waive first reading, introduce, and renew Ordinance 12‑17 consistent with the state law’s annual review requirement. Staff announced a community engagement meeting for Aug. 21, 2026 at the Police Department training room; feedback from that meeting will be included when the ordinance returns for its second reading in September.
