The Berkeley Police Department (BPD) has come under fire from the city's civilian police oversight board, which voted to subpoena police records due to apparent non-compliance with information requests. This action followed BPD's refusal to provide additional records regarding its annual controlled equipment report, which summarizes the use of specialized weaponry. State and local laws require police to disclose use and deployment of such equipment, but the oversight board states that BPD's reporting has been insufficient, hindering accountability efforts. In 2024, BPD's deployment of specialized equipment decreased, although no complaints were filed regarding their use during this period.
State law mandates that police agencies report each year on how and why they use certain specialized weapons and equipment, including a vast array including batons and beanbag launchers.
Berkeley's city ordinances go a step further, compelling BPD to report each time they even bring out those weapons, whether they use them or not.
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