LOS ANGELES — The University of California (UC) board of regents on Thursday approved requests by several of its campus police departments for more weapons, less-lethal ammo and other equipment.
The requests by the agencies follow last spring’s clashes with pro-Palestinian protestors on several UC campuses, although a spokesperson said the requests were routine and not in response to any particular incident.
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A total of five departments requested the additional equipment, including UC Berkeley, UCSF, UCLA, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Merced, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. In response to concerns by critics of the board’s approval of the requests, a UC spokesperson said none of the equipment is military grade.
Approved Equipment Includes Less-Lethal Weapons, Ammo and Drones
“The University’s use of this equipment provides UC police officers with non-lethal alternatives to standard-issue firearms, enabling them to de-escalate situations and respond without the use of deadly force,” spokesperson Stett Holbrook said.
The equipment that was requested by UCLA and approved by the board includes pepper balls and sponge rounds, projectile launchers and new drones, reports the Associated Press. Holbrook said many of the requests are replacements for training equipment. The drones are for assisting with search and rescue missions.
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UC Berkeley requested a hazardous devices robot and kinetic breaching tool for forced entry, as well as four drones, reports KQED. UCSF requested three drones, and UC Merced requested less-lethal ammunitions and weapons. UC Santa Cruz requested two drones.
California law requires UC police departments to get approval from the board for equipment each year.
It’s not clear how much the equipment will cost this year. Last year, the university system spent $79,163 on weapons and ammunition, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.
