Concerned Citizens for Justice has a letter writing campaign underway. Please consider sending a letter to the Chico City Council asking for a public hearing before using budget to acquire military equipment. Below is a letter sent by Anne Polivka, CC4J member, to the City Council at PO Box 3420, Chico, CA 95927.
March 24, 2022
Chico Police Department has a long list of military equipment cited in their Policy 709, under the Regulatory Section of their website, that the Chico City Council approved at their last meeting.
AB 481 is a new law that requires our local police department to not only get approval from the City Council before acquiring, buying, or using military equipment, but also hold a public hearing for public input. Chico Police Department failed to hold a public hearing. I understand that the CPD put a notice on their website about it, which most Chicoans probably missed.
There also was no public participation in the development of CPD Policy 709, titled Military Equipment. It was written by the for profit company Lexipol.
Why is the Chico City Council encouraging the acquisition of military arms now? This is the antithesis of de-escalation. This equipment will not protect us from more shootings. Why does good policing require the tools of the military?
The intention of AB 481 was to increase transparency and regulate the militarizing of the police, not promote it, as Chico City Council appears to have done.
Future allocation of military equipment acquired or purchased by Chico Police Department must get public input as required by AB 481.
Respectfully,
Ann Polivka, member Concerned Citizens for Justice, Chico