Assembly Bill 481 (AB 481)

AB 481 is a California law about “military equipment” (things like armored vehicles, robots, or heavy weapons). Before a police agency can buy or keep that type of equipment, the City must approve a policy and must report each year about what equipment they have and how it was used.

Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs)

ALPR technology is used to capture objective evidence without compromising on individual privacy. Santa Clara Police utilizes real time alerting of hotlist vehicles to capture wanted criminals. In an effort to ensure proper usage and guardrails are in place, we have made policies and usage statistics available to the public.

Critical Incident Briefings

 

Drones — how police use small unmanned aircraft (UAS)

Police use drones (also called Unmanned Aircraft Systems "UAS") for things like search and rescue, looking into dangerous places, traffic crash reviews, or surveying a crime scene from above. Drone use is regulated: officers and agencies must follow FAA rules and usually have policies about privacy, when drones can fly, and how footage is stored.

Policy manuals — the rules officers follow

Every police department has a policy manual. It’s a book that tells officers how to act on different kinds of calls — for example, how to use force, how to handle arrests, how to protect people’s privacy, and how to work with the media. The manual helps make sure actions are legal, consistent, and accountable. When new laws (like AB 481) or new court rulings happen, departments update these manuals.

Radio systems — how officers talk to each other

Police use special radio systems (not regular cell phones) to talk instantly. Radios send and receive signals on fixed channels so officers, dispatchers, and other agencies can coordinate during calls, chases, or big events. These systems are designed to work in loud or dangerous situations and to keep communications secure and reliable.

Training — how officers learn to do the job

Becoming a police officer in California requires going through a “basic academy” where recruits learn law, driving, use-of-force rules, first aid, and how to write reports. After the academy, officers do more on-the-job training and regular refresher courses so skills stay sharp and up to date. California’s POST sets the training standards and certifies academies and courses.