SALINAS – The Salinas Police Department released its 2025 Annual Report on Military Equipment Use by Law Enforcement, which reported that while certain military equipment like drones were frequently used by the agency, other equipment like assault rifles were not used at all.
That pattern of equipment use by the Salinas Police was consistent over the last four years that the report has been released.
The report is a requirement of Assembly Bill 481, statewide legislation passed in 2021 by Governor Gavin Newsom that mandates law enforcement agencies to report their inventory and use of military equipment.
The bill aims at transparency with the community, also requiring agencies to hold a public forum on its military inventory, which is scheduled for Feb. 25 at the Salinas Rotunda from 6 to 6:30 p.m.
Military equipment under AB 481 includes 15 categories, ranging from things like tear gas and rubber bullets to weaponized aircraft and armored vehicles.
The Salinas Police Department’s inventory includes nine of these categories: unmanned vehicles, armored vehicles, mobile command vehicles, door-breaching explosives, specialized high-caliber shotguns, assault weapons, projectile launchers, “distraction devices” like tear gas and less-lethal munitions.
According to the report, “the continued access to, and use of this equipment is vital in ensuring our officers have the appropriate tools necessary to deescalate situations, preserve life, ensure safety for all people and protect civil liberties.”
Because of the size of the Salinas Police Department, they do not have any personnel specialized in using AB 481 equipment, but instead receive generalized training with it.
Much of the equipment owned by the Salinas Police Department received infrequent or no use last year. Weapons such as assault rifles and specialized high-caliber shotguns were not used at all in 2025. According to past reports, since 2022, assault weapons have only been used once during a nine-hour standoff with an active shooter in 2023.
Use of non-lethal equipment like flashbangs, tear gas and pepper balls was reported 39 times in 2025. Foam bullets were utilized as non-lethal projectiles 14 times in 2025.
According to the report, this equipment was necessary for “distracting dangerous people during high-risk situations,” though the report does not specify individual incidents.
By far the military equipment most commonly used by the Salinas Police Department in 2025 were unmanned aerial systems, or drones, with 397 authorized usages.
The Salinas Police Department has 10 different types of drones listed as military equipment, including drones with artificial intelligence capabilities, thermal imaging and the ability to fly indoors. Drones were used to collect photo and video evidence during investigations, search for missing persons and support high-risk missions. The relatively high frequency of drone use is consistent across the four years of annual reporting.
While the annual report does not specify the nature of each case where military equipment was authorized, it does state that no violations or complaints about the department’s military equipment usage were reported in 2025. This is consistent with years past as well, except for one instance in 2023 where complaints were made about an armored vehicle’s presence at a community event.
To read the full report visit: https://police.salinas.gov/assembly-bill-481/
A community meeting on AB 481 will be held at the Salinas Rotunda on Feb. 25 from 6-6:30 p.m.
Chris Hamilton is a California Local News fellow covering Salinas and the Salinas Valley for The Herald.
