Healdsburg PD To Host Community Meeting On Military Equipment Use

HEALDSBURG, CA — The Healdsburg Police Department is hosting a community meeting Wednesday to discuss its annual report on military equipment use.

During the meeting to start at 5:30 p.m. at the Healdsburg Police Department, 238 Center St., police will also discuss a public safety camera system.

The annual military equipment report is required under Assembly Bill 481 and has information on the department's funding, acquisition and use of military equipment; and whether any complaints were received, internal audits filed or policies violated.

According to the report, there were no violations, complaints or audits in 2023. There was a review of drone flight data which found that all flights were conducted within department policy and FAA regulations.

The report notes that drones —sUASs— were flown 24 times last year, mainly for training but once in a search for a suspect and another time for a law enforcement tactical search.

The report also lists an inventory of the military equipment which in addition to drones includes flashbang grenades and explosive breaching tools, tear gas and pepper balls (excluding standard, service-issued handheld pepper spray); 40mm projectile launchers, bean bags, rubber bullets and specialty impact munition —SIM — weapons.

According to the report, the aforementioned equipment was not deployed in 2023 other than for official training purposes.

The report notes that the department will purchase up to four drones this year. The department currently has three drones that cost $7,000 each but are now out of service and need replacement.

The department also seeks to buy 230, 8-inch foam batons at $21.38 each for properly training staff, plus one $1,500 kit for training department staff using reloadable training rounds at a fraction of the cost of using operational rounds.

In a separate issue, police will discuss a public safety camera system that the Healdsburg Council has given direction to move forward on.

View a pdf of the annual report (enter page number 2 in the popout box then press enter to move forward in the document):