[Editor’s Note: This is an update to an article originally published on April 16, 2025]
The Cathedral City Police Department held its annual Military Equipment meeting as required by California law on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in the Study Session Room at City Hall.
During the meeting, the department presented its 2024 annual report on the inventory, use, and acquisition of equipment classified as “military equipment” under California Assembly Bill 481. This transparency initiative provided community members with information about specialized equipment utilized by the department and how it was deployed over the past year.
The 2024 report detailed how the department’s Desert Regional SWAT team utilized military equipment in Cathedral City on 12 critical incidents ranging from search warrants for armed suspects to an illegal assault weapons manufacture case. The department also participated in community functions and special events where select military equipment was deployed.
According to the report, the department maintains various equipment classified as “military equipment” including:
- Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) used for search and rescue operations
- Specialized breaching tools for high-risk entries
- Less-lethal projectile launchers that provide alternatives to deadly force
- Equipment used for critical incidents that exceed standard patrol capabilities
The department reported that all uses of military equipment in 2024 followed proper policies and there were no complaints about military equipment use during that period.
The full report was presented at the meeting and is now available on the city’s website. As required by California law, this community engagement meeting provided an opportunity for the public to discuss and ask questions regarding the annual military equipment report and the department’s funding, acquisition, or use of military equipment.
The Cathedral City Police Department remains committed to its mission of providing the community with progressive and professional police services dedicated to ensuring public order, a sense of community well-being, and responsiveness with integrity and excellence.
For more information about the department’s military equipment policy and to access the full 2024 report, please click here or visit cathedralcitypolice.com/military-equipment-policy.
