Military Equipment Funding, Acquisition and Use Policy 

On September 30, 2021, Governor Newsom signed AB 481 which directed law enforcement agencies to establish rules for the funding, acquisition and/or use of military equipment. The full text of AB 481 is available here.

Requirements of AB 481

AB 481 requires each law enforcement agency's governing body to adopt a written military equipment use policy by ordinance in a public forum by April 30, 2022, in order to continue the use of previously acquired equipment effective May 1, 2022.

• The AB 481 defined list of military equipment currently possessed and proposed to acquire into the Westminster Police Department’s possession is included in the policy, as well as each items purpose, authorized use, expected lifespan, training, and legal and procedural rules.

• View the Westminster Police Department’s Military Equipment Policy here. 

• The Westminster Police Department has an established complaint process that can be found here.

• The Westminster Police Department AB481 Annual Report can be found here.

Public Input Regarding AB 481

As required for transparency, the Westminster Police Department has uploaded Lexipol Policy 706 on this website 30-days prior to a public meeting to satisfy the requirements of AB 481. The first reading and public hearing of the proposed ordinance to City Council is scheduled for August 28, 2024.