The Redwood City Council will vote Monday on whether to reapprove the Police Department’s Military Equipment Use Policy, a state-required list of the weapons and tools officers are authorized to use.
The item is listed on the consent calendar, meaning it could be approved in one motion along with other routine items unless it’s pulled for discussion.
The ordinance would reapprove Policy 703, which governs the department’s use of equipment such as rifles, drones, less-lethal launchers, breaching tools and long-range acoustic devices. Each year, the council must review and readopt the policy after receiving a report on how this equipment was used or maintained.
Council review follows earlier updates
This year’s action follows the city’s June review, when the Police Department reported progress on the armored rescue vehicle (ARV) approved in 2023. The department described the ARV as a multi-purpose vehicle designed to transport officers and civilians through hazardous conditions, but it does not yet appear on the city’s 2025 military equipment list. Lt. Jesse Castro, who oversees the policy, previously told the council the department plans to present a separate policy for the vehicle once it’s in service.
In 2024, the council authorized several new purchases totaling just over $115,000, including six drones, five 40 mm Tactical 4-Shot Launchers, a Hyperspike long-range acoustic device, and a kinetic breaching tool, a powder-actuated ram used to open locked doors during critical incidents. Those additions joined the department’s existing inventory of rifles, less-lethal launchers, flashbang grenades, tear gas canisters and other specialty devices used by SWAT teams in high-risk operations.
Annual oversight and reporting
Lt. Jesse Castro, the department’s Military Equipment Compliance Officer, oversees the inventory and annual reporting. The yearly report — required under state law — outlines when and why each piece of equipment was used, any complaints or violations, and costs for training and upkeep.
City staff, including Police Chief Kristina Bell, are recommending the council waive the second reading and adopt the ordinance on Monday. All listed equipment, according to the staff report, is already owned or covered by the department’s existing budget.
The next annual report, covering the department’s 2025 use of equipment, is expected in early 2026.
Other items
The council will also hold an informational public hearing on a proposed 100-percent affordable housing project at 705 Veterans Boulevard. Developer Eden Housing plans a five-story, 76-unit complex for residents age 55 and older, including 75 affordable units and one manager’s unit. The meeting is required under the state housing streamlining law, Senate Bill 35, and will give the public a chance to comment before the developer submits its full application. No action will be taken on Monday.
