Marin Police Agency To Hold Meeting On Use Of Military Equipment

SAN RAFAEL, CA — The San Rafael and Novato police departments share a tool that primarily used for de-escalatory purposes.

The armored response rescue vehicle was not procured through the U.S. Department of Defense, but it is classified by the state as military equipment.

And under a new state law, these communities are required to list the vehicle as military equipment on their inventory.

The city later this month will hold an informational meeting addressing the implications of AB 481, and what the new law means for San Rafael residents.

Municipalities are required to hold such meetings each year under the new law, which was approved last year.

AB 481 also requires law enforcement agencies to provide the inventory to their municipalities, and for them to obtain approval from their municipalities for any equipment procured from the US Department of Defense.

The San Rafael Police Department does not use or own any such equipment from the DOD, and is not currently seeking to do so, SRPD Lt. Scott Eberle said.

The vehicles can be used to safely transport mental health workers and allow law enforcement to travel perilous environments they would otherwise not enter.

The vehicles resemble “Amazon delivery vans” Eberle said.

“This vehicle will allow us to get between the gunman and the victim so we can get them out of there rather than exposing officers to open gunfire,” former Novato Police Chief and current City Manager Adam McGill in a 2018 Marin Independent Journal interview.

“We hope to never use it.”

The San Rafael Police Department will host the virtual meeting March 28 at 6 p.m.

To join the meeting visit here.

The meeting can also be joined by phone at: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-833-548-0282 (Webinar ID: 878 4935 0820).