A slew of California police departments, from Long Beach to Pleasanton, are set to discuss “military grade equipment” with their city councils. This comes as a recently effective law places limits on law enforcement and state agencies acquiring and using martial hardware. Intended to curb police militarization, the act is noteworthy for its potential to increase financial transparency, accountability, and to slow down police surveillance.
Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 481 back in September of 2021, though May 2022 was when the law became enforceable. The bill requires local law enforcement to receive explicit approval from their governing body, such as a city council, to use
