Palm Springs City Council recently deliberated over the Palm Spring Police Department's use of military equipment in accordance with a new transparency law that took effect last September, News Channel 3 reported.
After discussing the matter, council members voted 5-0 on Thursday, May 12, to postpone a decision regarding authorization of a police military equipment use policy, according to the article. The deliberations transpired in light of Assembly Bill 481, which Gov. Newsom signed into law last September, requiring that police departments publicly disclose any written policies regarding military style equipment, News Channel 3 said.
"The whole bill is really about transparency. The community needs to know what we have," Lt. Gustavo Araiza said in the article. "And it's not the mere possession of the equipment; it's how we use it too. That's the other aspect that we need to report back to the community."
Lt. Araiza further explains in the article that the Palm Springs Police Department (PSPD) possesses military equipment that is only used defensively, and therefore it should not be viewed as assault equipment. For instance, in October 2021, an incident occurred in which PSPD used military equipment after a man with an assault rifle ambushed two Palm Springs police officers. According to Lt. Araiza in the article, when police use this equipment, they are attempting to neutralize a situation.
The article also outlines key statements in the city council staff report regarding this discussion. In that report, city officials explained that the PSPD understands the delicate nature of possessing military equipment when peacekeeping is their primary purpose. "Being entrusted with military-style equipment... is a sacred responsibility that demands high accountability and transparency," the report said in the News Channel 3 article.