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Back in 2021, California passed a new law — AB 481 — that requires local police agencies to have a written policy in place for their acquisition and use of military equipment. The law also requires local agencies to hold a public meeting on that policy.

Tonight, at Arcata City Hall — 736 F Street — the Arcata City Council will have that meeting. The public is, of course, invited. According to the agenda, there’ll be a presentation on the law, an explanation of the police department’s published policy, and a Q&A session.

The law requires that police agencies disclose all military-grade equipment it possesses. (“Military equipment” is defined in the text of the law; it may or may not be actual military surplus.) As of now, according to the department, Arcata currently has:

• One “command vehicle,” suitable for use in crisis situations.
• 13 patrol rifles.
• 12 less-than-lethal shotguns modified to fire bean bags, marked by an orange stock.
• 4 pepper-spray ball launchers.

So if you’d like to talk about that, or anything else in the department’s policy, tonight’s the night. The meeting will be held at Arcata City Hall tonight — Tuesday, Aug. 29 — at 5 p.m.

DOCUMENTS:

• Arcata Police Department Policy 710 — Military Equipment
• Agenda for the Military Equipment Policy Meeting — Aug. 29, 5 p.m.