FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — For the first time, the Fresno Police Department held a community engagement meeting to address concerns about its use of military-style equipment, drawing criticism from neighbors who say the department has not been fully transparent.
The meeting comes amid concerns that the department has not met the regulations of a 2022 California law that requires agencies to publish an annual report on military equipment and hold at least one well-publicized community meeting within 30 days of the report.
City officials say the department has complied by presenting reports during City Council meetings, but many community members argued that was not enough.
“So explain it to them in plain English, you guys have yet to do that,” one attendee said during the meeting.
The report presented outlines the department’s inventory, including how often certain equipment is used.
According to the data, five categories of equipment were not used at all over the past year, while 14 categories were used between one and 16 times. Drones, categorized as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), were used 293 times, far more than any other category.
Those numbers prompted questions from the community about whether some of the equipment is necessary.
Police officials defended the need for the equipment, comparing it to emergency tools that are rarely used but essential in critical situations.
“Do you have a fire extinguisher in your house? Did you use it last year?” Fresno Police Deputy Chief Burke Farrah asked. “Are you glad you have it?”
Still, some neighbors remained unsatisfied, calling for clearer explanations and more transparency moving forward.
The meeting ended with both community members and police agreeing to work together on future engagement efforts aimed at improving communication.
One notable concern raised was the lack of a total cost for the department’s military equipment. Officials confirmed that while the report includes some cost details, state law does not require a full total, which is why it was not provided.
The Fresno City Council is expected to vote on renewing the department’s annual military equipment use report at its next meeting. Some community members are urging leaders to delay that vote, though police officials say they cannot guarantee any changes to the timeline.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. at Fresno City Hall and will also be available online.