UC To Buy More Drones, Robots, Pepper Balls, Projectile Launchers

BERKELEY, CA — The University of California's board of regents on Thursday approved requests from UC campus police departments to increase their inventory of drones, robots, pepper balls and projectile launchers.

Law enforcement agencies in California are required by a 2021 law to publicly request approval for new weapons and ammunition considered military equipment.

The regents gave approval to the requests despite protests from some UC students, who voiced concerns during public comment periods and verbally objected as the regents prepared Thursday to vote on the item. Just after starting to discuss the item, the regents declared an unlawful assembly and cleared the meeting room of the protesters.

UCLA police's new requests included three drones, eight projectile launchers, 3,000 rounds of pepper balls and 400 foam and sponge rounds.

Police departments at UC's Berkeley, Santa Cruz and San Francisco campuses also requested new drones. Berkeley also requested a new hazardous devices robot. Merced, meanwhile, plans to purchase five projectile launchers and 100 sponge rounds.

"The main use of less lethal munitions is to provide law enforcement with options other than lethal force during life-threatening circumstances," Jody Stiger, UC's systemwide director of community safety, told the regents. He said the weapons aren't meant to be used at peaceful protests but could be used at protests that turn violent.

Tommy Contreras, a student representative on UCLA's Undergraduate Students Association Council, implored the regents to reject the requests during an earlier public comment period.

"Students, staff and faculty have been hurt by this very equipment used not for safety, but to suppress voices," he said. "Last spring, UCPD and campus security weaponized this military gear against peaceful protesters and demonstrators."