The Lassen County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) and other departments nationwide were required to return surplus military-style equipment under controlled use when assembly bill 481 became law in January of 2022.
This law requires law enforcement agencies to establish an ordinance that mandates them to develop a policy, provide a list of equipment, and obtain approval from the county supervisors before requesting or using the equipment, even if it is to be sued temporarily.
The new law also requires a public meeting to inform the community about the equipment being used, allow you to review the policy, and ask questions.
During a supervisor’s board meeting on December 13th of last year, Sheriff Dean Growdon outlined the controlled items currently used by the department, including firearms and ammunition of .50 caliber or more, as well as silencers, bayonets, grenade launchers, stun, and flash-bang grenades, armored vehicles, weaponized drones, and long-range acoustic devices. Growdon has said several of these items have been returned, but through an urgency ordinance, some equipment was approved for continued use.
The sheriff says the equipment in question is routinely used to protect deputies and the public while on patrol and in the County Jail.
This evening, as mandated, the sheriff’s office will hold a public meeting to discuss all controlled items used by the department to educate the community on the usage and purpose of this equipment. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and share any concerns.
The meeting will begin at 6 pm at the sheriff’s office in Susanville, on Sheriff Cady Lane.
