Background on Assembly Bill 481 (AB 481)
On September 30, 2021, California enacted Assembly Bill 481 (AB 481) to increase transparency, oversight, and community involvement regarding the use of military equipment by law enforcement agencies. The law requires agencies to publicly disclose, justify, and report on the acquisition and use of military equipment. The full text of AB 481 is included as Attachment 1.
Key Requirements of AB 481
AB 481 requires the governing body of each law enforcement agency to:
- Adopt a publicly reviewed and approved Military Equipment Use Policy through ordinance.
- Prepare and submit an Annual Military Equipment Report for all approved equipment, which must be made available online.
- Hold at least one public community engagement meeting within 30 days of releasing the annual report.
Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department’s Implementation
In compliance with AB 481, the Carmel City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2024-001 on July 9, 2024. This ordinance established Carmel Police Department’s (CPD) Policy 701 (Attachment 2), which outlines the department’s rules for acquiring and using military equipment. The policy is also available on the City’s website: https://ci.carmel.ca.us/post/police-standard-policies-and-practices
CPD published its first Annual Military Equipment Report (Attachment 3) on April 14, 2025, which includes required data such as:
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Types of military equipment in use.
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Authorized purposes and usage.
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Frequency of use and any associated incidents.
Public Engagement
To encourage transparency and public input, CPD held a community meeting on April 16, 2025, at the Council Chambers. The purpose was to present and discuss the 2024 Military Equipment Use Report and answer questions from the public. The community meeting presentation slides are included as Attachment 4.
Definition of Military Equipment under AB 481
AB 481 defines 15 categories of military equipment subject to regulation. These include, but are not limited to the following categories:
- Unmanned, remotely piloted, powered aerial or ground vehicles.
- Mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles or armored personnel carriers.
- High mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWV), two-and-one-half-ton trucks, five-ton trucks, or wheeled vehicles that have a breaching or entry apparatus attached.
- Tracked armored vehicles that provide ballistic protection to their occupants .
- Command and control vehicles that are either built or modified to facilitate the operational control and direction of public safety units.
- Weaponized aircraft, vessels, or vehicles of any kind.
- Battering rams, slugs, and breaching apparatuses that are explosive in nature.
- Firearms of .50 caliber or greater, excluding standard-issue shotguns.
- Ammunition of .50 caliber or greater, excluding standard-issue shotgun ammunition.
- Specialized firearms and ammunition of less than .50 caliber, including firearms and accessories identified as assault weapons in Penal Code § 30510 and Penal Code §30515, excluding standard-issue service weapons.
- Any firearm or firearm accessory that is designed to launch explosive projectiles.
- Noise-flash diversionary devices (flashbangs), explosive breaching tools, tear gas, and pepper balls.
- TASER® Shockwave, microwave weapons, water cannons, and long-range acoustic devices.
- Kinetic energy weapons and munitions.
- Any other equipment as determined by a governing body or a state agency to require additional oversight.
CPD’s Current Inventory
CPD currently maintains equipment under two categories:
Category 10: Specialized firearms and ammunition (under .50 caliber but designated as assault weapons per Penal Code §§ 30510 and 30515).
- The CPD has 6 (six) Colt M4-AR15 Style Semi-Automatic Rifles.
Category 15: Other equipment identified by the City as needing oversight.
- The CPD has 4 (four) Keltec KSG Shotguns - Converted for Less Lethal Applications
Annual Report Summary
Uses:
1) In October 2024, CPD utilized the Keltec KSG less-lethal launcher. It was deployed in attempt to avoid lethal options during what became an Officer Involved Shooting.
This was the only deployment for this tool in 2024. It was a one-item deployment.
2) The Colt M4-AR15 Style Semi-Automatic rifle deployments were for qualification and training purposes only in 2024.
Monterey Peninsula Regional Special Response Unit (MPSRU):
- CPD Participates
- MPSRU Uses Military Equipment
- CPD does not own any Military Equipment in use by SRU
Equipment Maintenance:
Costs to maintain current items:
Annual costs for ammunition: $2527.50 for rifle rounds.
CPD anticipates spending approximately $1500 in less-lethal rounds for training and use.
The full inventory, including purpose, authorized use, fiscal cost, and expected lifespan of the CPD owned Military Equipment is detailed in Attachment 3.
Ongoing Transparency and Accountability
CPD is committed to annual reporting and public transparency. Each yearly report will document:
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Use and deployment of military equipment.
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Public complaints and internal investigations.
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Costs and effectiveness of the equipment.
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Compliance with Policy 701.
These reports will remain available on the department’s website as long as the equipment is in use.