Pasadena Police to Take Public Questions Thursday on Drones, Armored Vehicle, Less-Lethal Munitions

The Pasadena Police Department will answer public questions Thursday about the drones, armored rescue vehicle, helicopters and less-lethal munitions it is authorized to keep.

The Annual Military Equipment Report Community Engagement Meeting runs from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, at the Washington Park Community House, 700 E. Washington Blvd. The hour is set aside for public comment and questions.

Assembly Bill 481, effective Jan. 1, 2022, bars California law enforcement agencies from funding, acquiring or using equipment the statute classifies as military without an ordinance from their governing body. It requires an annual public report covering each category held, its use and cost, complaints, audits, violations and planned purchases, and a community meeting within 30 days of the report’s release.

The department holds equipment in nine of the law’s 16 categories: four SWAT drones and a tactical ground robot, a 2010 Lenco BearCat armored rescue vehicle, three Bell OH-58 helicopters, a mobile command center, a .50-caliber rifle, breaching shotguns, and 40mm launchers, PepperBall, chemical agents and flashbangs.

The BearCat was deployed 51 times in the year ending June 30, the department reported. The drones flew three times in training. Seven complaints came in, all about helicopter noise, and there were no policy violations. Spending totaled about $473,614.

The department plans to replace its four SWAT drones and establish a public safety drone program at an estimated $250,000 to $400,000, subject to City Council authorization.

The Pasadena Police Department’s Annual Military Equipment Report Community Engagement Meeting takes place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Washington Park Community House, 700 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena.

The meeting is in person and open to the public. The 2025-2026 report and Policy 711 are posted at cityofpasadena.net/police/ab-481-military-equipment-policy, and written questions, comments and complaints may be submitted there year-round.