Sheriff’s Office Discusses Military Equipment
Yesenia Sanchez is the 23rd Sheriff of Alameda County
Last Friday, Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez and her officers discussed the department’s inventory of military-grade equipment, what the agency used in the last year, and the cost associated during a town hall held at Castro Valley Library.
The presentation was prompted by AB 481, a 2021 California law requiring law enforcement to report to the public what it has and obtain approval before purchasing any more. The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) released its findings on October 20 and is expected to present the 124-page report to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors at its November 28 meeting.
Sheriff Sanchez said the ACSO is ready to look at things with a different lens and involve the community to address their concerns.
“Yes, this is a law that says that we have to come forth and bring this to your attention and have a discussion, but this isn't going to be how we operate in a ‘have-to’ type of mindset,” Sheriff Sanchez said. “Before we go to the board to acquire some new equipment, there's going to be a dialogue as to what your concerns are, how we address them to make your meal feel more comfortable and have an understanding of why we're doing or acquiring what we're acquiring.”
The “Military Equipment Annual Report” covers actions between November 20, 2022, and September 30, 2023. The document outlines the agency’s military equipment use policy as approved by the Board of Supervisors and descriptions of each type of weapon. Among the sheriff’s office inventory, deputies have access to 101 aerial drones, 11 remotely piloted robots, battering rams, armored trucks, Humvees, firearms of .50 caliber or greater, other specialized firearms, flashbang grenades, pepper spray, and long-range acoustic devices used to slow down or stop attackers.
Aerial drones were the most used item by the sheriff’s office, which reported deploying 481 of the 593 times any military-grade device was used. ACSO Lieutenant Gustavo Mora, who oversees the inventory, and other members of the sheriff’s panel noted that the drones are similar to the ones sold at Best Buy and are equipped with high-resolution cameras and heat sensors to find suspects or missing persons.
Sheriff Sanchez said her department would only use these drones and other military equipment after normal law enforcement procedures were employed first.
The report also detailed the equipment cost, including its replacement cycles and training. While the total is a fraction of ACSO’s annual $429.7 million budget, the drones alone can cost as much as $15,000 apiece. Maintenance ranges from $400 per drone to $1,000 annually for armored vehicles. Training spending varies between no-cost and as much as $3,000 per student for specialized training.
About two dozen people showed up in person at the town hall, with more watching online. Representatives of Faith in Action East Bay, American Friends Service Committee's (AFSC) California Healing Justice program, Justice in Our Jails, and others expressed concerns about the public’s safety and welfare, including increased risk of civilian deaths and significant risks to civil rights, especially in marginalized neighborhoods that the ACSO protects. Many attendees were concerned about using weapons that launched multiple projectiles at close range.
“Many other sheriff's departments right here in the Bay Area Santa Clara San Mateo Solano do not have scattershot weapons and do not use scattershot weapons. The problem with them is that they're indiscriminate,” said resident Michael Heckler.
In addition to protecting the county’s unincorporated towns, ACSO also serves Dublin, Peralta Community College District, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum complex, Oakland International Airport, Highland County Hospital, and the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District.
The full report can be accessed on the ACSO website: https://www.alamedacountysheriff.org/home/showpublisheddocument/387/638343695369430000