Public safety legislation authored by California State Assembly member Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) to demilitarize law enforcement, build better police and community relations, and promote government transparency passed the State Assembly Saturday and will head to the State Senate. Todd Gloria spoke to Jason Austell about the bill.
“Law enforcement, government, and the public are the foundation of every community. All of us have to work together and that’s ultimately what this bill seeks to accomplish,” said Assemblymember Todd Gloria. “AB 3131 is about building trust between police and the people they are sworn to protect. If law enforcement agencies want to arm themselves with military-grade equipment, I believe the public has a right-to-know. Adding this layer of transparency and engagement with the public acknowledges that police and the public are our partners in creating safe and liveable neighborhoods.”
AB 3131, co-authored by California State Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco), requires law enforcement to obtain approval from their local governing body (i.e., city council, board of supervisors, or other oversight board) at a public hearing prior to acquiring military-grade equipment. This effectively reverses the Trump Administration’s rescission of an Obama-era executive order (Federal Executive Order #13688) that sought to control local law enforcement’s acquisition of surplus military equipment under the U.S. Department of Defense’s 1033 program. Read more…