There is only one opportunity each year for community members to speak directly with the UC Santa Cruz Police Department (UCSCPD) in a public forum.
41 attendees successfully made it into this year’s Zoom meeting, while many more students, faculty, and community members were left in the waiting room. Attendees sent requests to Administrative Specialist Roy Zhang throughout the meeting, but many of these requests were left unanswered.
This annual community meeting, held on Oct. 16, is a requirement from California Assembly Bill (AB) 481, which was signed into law in 2021. Under AB 481, UCSCPD is required to disclose military equipment expenditures and deployment in a public meeting and to get equipment approval from the Board of Regents.
The meeting took place in two parts. First, Kevin Domby, executive director of public safety and chief of police, took the mic to present the approved AB 481 equipment they possess. This includes 23 COLT M4 Model LE 6933 rifles, one long-range acoustic device, one FN-303 Launcher, and 11 40mm Single-Shot Launchers.
UCSCPD did not purchase any new weaponry over the year, though they did spend over $20,000 on ammunition, maintenance, and training for their current arsenal.
They submitted one request for a drone, which is classified as a Category 1 device, or an “unmanned, remotely piloted, powered aerial or ground [vehicle].” UCSCPD reported an estimated cost of $24,000, however, this does not include costs for the training or certification of drone pilots.
Domby said while they do not currently have enough funding for a purchase of this size, it is on the UCSCPD’s “wishlist.”
Following the equipment presentation, Domby selectively answered questions during the public comment section. Guests were not allowed to unmute and instead had to send all questions over a private Zoom chat to Domby.
Many students and community members raised concerns over the use of weapons instead of de-escalation tactics. Domby said that they prioritize non-violent solutions.
“We train annually in de-escalation, and we do our best to try to have a situation resolved without any sort of physical contact. Sometimes that’s not always possible,” Domby said. “When that’s not possible, we look for the option that’s least likely to injure the person that we’re making contact with.”
Regarding a question submitted in the chat about how the department ensures officers don’t use less-lethal weapons in an unlawful manner, Domby said UCSCPD officers are required to press a button that turns on their body cameras when “they encounter use of force.” However, he also noted this is not always the case.
“Now, could [officers] encounter [a] use of force where they weren’t able to hit the button? That’s possible, that does happen,” Domby said. “But most of the time there’s an opportunity to turn the camera on.”
UCSCPD did not address the concerns brought up surrounding the encampment raid last year. Instead, Domby noted he’d be open to addressing those questions over email or a possible second public forum.
No date has been set for a second forum since the Oct. 16 meeting, nor is one required until next year.
Editor’s Note: Due to time constraints and the nature of the community forum, City on a Hill Press was unable to contact any attendees.