California College Police Departments Report Military-Style Equipment Inventories

CalMatters reviewed records from all 148 University of California institutions and found that some campuses had not posted required inventories or omitted details such as equipment quantities and manufacturer descriptions. The 2021 law requires campus police to publish annual inventories, disclose usage frequency, and hold public meetings before acquiring military equipment.

Compliance has been uneven across the institutions reviewed.

Francisco listed 68 semi-automatic rifles, 28 less-lethal launchers, 54,000 rifle rounds and one Long Range Acoustic Device. UC San Diego reported 61 semi-automatic rifles, 13 less-lethal launchers, 5,500 rifle rounds and one Long Range Acoustic Device.

San Jose State University reported 28 semi-automatic rifles, seven less-lethal launchers, 30,150 rifle rounds and 2,600 pepper-ball munitions. UC Berkeley listed 24 semi-automatic rifles, 19 less-lethal launchers, 5,000 rifle rounds and one Long Range Acoustic Device.

UCLA police used Long Range Acoustic Devices dozens of times during the 2024–25 academic year, primarily during protests and large gatherings, according to CalMatters. UCLA officials said the devices were used only as public-address systems. San Jose State’s inventory included tear-gas grenades and a submachine gun that campus officials said they do not intend to use.

Capt. Jermaine Thomas told CalMatters the department plans to destroy both items. After inquiries from CalMatters, Compton College adopted a military equipment policy, held a public meeting and created additional oversight committees. Compton College President Keith Curry told CalMatters the college would fix mistakes identified during the review.