The Mill Valley Police Department did not deploy any of its military-grade equipment in the line of duty during the 2025/2026 reporting year, according to the department's annual report posted Thursday, July 16.
The report, required under California Assembly Bill 481, shows MVPD's inventory includes five categories of equipment subject to state oversight: 40mm single launchers, 40mm kinetic energy projectiles, Remington 870 less-lethal shotguns, bean bag rounds, and Long Range Acoustic Devices. All five categories logged zero operational uses.
The department did use some equipment in training. Officers trained with the 40mm launcher and kinetic energy projectiles in June 2026, and conducted monthly tests of the LRAD system. Total annual cost for the equipment came to $17,858, funded entirely by the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority for the LRAD network, which serves as an emergency evacuation alert system across Southern Marin rather than a crowd-control tool.
MVPD received zero complaints about its military equipment use during the reporting period. An internal audit found no policy violations.
The department also stated it has not obtained any equipment through the federal 1033 program, which allows the U.S. Department of Defense to transfer surplus military gear to local police agencies.
Council review set for August
MVPD will present the report to the Mill Valley City Council on Monday, August 17. The council first adopted a military equipment use policy through Ordinance 1335 on June 21, 2022, and renewed it with Ordinance 1361 on October 6, 2025.
Under the department's Policy 707, MVPD must also hold a public community engagement meeting within 30 days of releasing the report. The department's Operations Captain serves as the military equipment coordinator responsible for the annual inventory and report.
The department does not plan to acquire any new equipment in 2026/2027, noting it will only replenish projectiles and rounds used in training.
How to weigh in
The full report, Policy 707, and the equipment inventory are posted at cityofmillvalley.gov/957. Residents can submit comments or complaints to [email protected] or by mail to the Mill Valley Police Department, 1 Hamilton Drive, Mill Valley, CA 94941.
