Downey adopts policy allowing police to obtain military equipment

Kids play inside the Downey Police Department’s armored truck at a Halloween event in 2021. (City of Downey photo)

DOWNEY - The Downey City Council approved on Tuesday its policy for the use of military equipment by the Downey Police Department, including armored vehicles and unmanned aircraft.

The city’s new policy authorizes use of a large amount of varying pieces of equipment under specific guidelines, including unmanned aircraft systems, armored vehicles, several types of less-lethal rounds, less-lethal shotguns, distraction devices, chemical agent and smoke canisters, pepper balls, rifles, and personally owned rifles.

The bill also required Downey PD to inventory any military equipment that it had acquired prior to Jan. 1. of this year.

Councilmember Donald La Plante expressed annoyance with the new law, calling it “nonsense.”

“The legislation may have had a good idea of requiring the cities to produce information on military police equipment; look at our agenda at what our police department had to do to comply with that law,” said La Plante. “It’s page upon page that provides detail upon detail about nothing…This whole report is unfortunately nothing more than a pile of paperwork to document things like rubber bullets.”

When asked by La Plante how long it took staff to inventory the equipment, Police Chief Leslie Murray confirmed that it took several DPD staff members a “significant” amount of time, though was unable to give a specific number.

The inventory will need to take place annually, including a meeting held by DPD to allow for community input.

Creation of the policy was required due to Assembly bill AB 481, which was enacted by the state legislature in September of last year and went into effect in January. Under AB 481 DPD would need to gain City approval in order to use, purchase, and acquire military equipment.