California school police fail to disclose military-grade weapons

An investigation has revealed that several California K-12 school police forces are not complying with a 2021 state law requiring annual public disclosure of military-grade equipment inventories.

Nine of the state’s 21 public school police forces have purchased military-grade gear, including semi-automatic rifles, smoke grenades, and less-lethal launchers. While some districts, such as San Diego Unified and Montebello Unified, provided up-to-date reports upon request, others have failed to meet transparency mandates. Twin Rivers Unified and Santa Ana Unified released reports for the first time in 2026 after years of ownership.

School districts maintain that these weapons are necessary for responding to critical incidents, managing crowds, and apprehending violent suspects. This follows a history of similar issues, such as in 2014 when the Los Angeles School Police Department faced criticism for using Pentagon-donated grenade launchers and armored vehicles, eventually relinquishing that equipment in 2016.