California schools pressured to reveal military-grade armories

Army-style rifles, flash grenades and even highly effective sonic units nicknamed the “Voice of God” are among the many weapons owned by police departments at California’s public schools and universities.

An investigation discovered faculties have didn’t adjust to a state transparency regulation requiring them to reveal what they personal, how the tools is used, and to offer the general public a chance to weigh in.

CalMatters reviewed information from all 148 College of California establishments and located a number of campuses solely up to date or revealed required stories after being contacted by reporters.

Lawmakers accepted the army tools transparency regulation in 2021 following nationwide requires larger oversight of police departments.

Below the regulation, campus police can solely purchase army tools if officers decide there isn’t a cheap various for shielding public security.

Faculties are additionally required to publish annual inventories, disclose how typically the tools is used, and maintain public conferences the place college students and group members can ask questions or voice issues. 

Based on CalMatters, compliance has been uneven.

Some schools had not posted required inventories on-line, whereas others omitted particulars required by regulation, together with the amount of kit or producer descriptions.

A number of campuses additionally acknowledged they both had not held the required public boards or couldn’t display how these conferences had been publicized. 

The investigation additionally discovered inconsistencies over which weapons must be disclosed.

San Jose State College and San Francisco State College reported proudly owning AR-15-style rifles, although California State College’s systemwide army tools coverage doesn’t particularly authorize them.

Cal State spokesperson Amy Bentley-Smith advised CalMatters the rifles are thought of standard-issue weapons and due to this fact exempt from sure reporting necessities, although San Jose State’s personal report categorized them as specialised firearms. 

Probably the most placing items of kit recognized by CalMatters is the Lengthy Vary Acoustic System, or LRAD, utilized by UCLA police.

The units can challenge amplified voice instructions over lengthy distances throughout demonstrations and emergencies, incomes them the army nickname “Voice of God.”

They’re additionally able to emitting extraordinarily loud warning tones, though UCLA officers mentioned they solely use them as public-address techniques throughout crowd administration conditions. 

Richard Mejia, UCLA’s director of emergency communications and knowledge, advised CalMatters the college doesn’t use the units to provide the high-pitched warning tones they’re able to producing. 

CalMatters reported UCLA deployed the acoustic units dozens of instances in the course of the 2024–25 educational yr, primarily throughout protests and different giant gatherings. 

Elsewhere, San Jose State’s stock included tear-gas grenades and a submachine gun that campus officers mentioned they don’t intend to make use of.

“We are going to by no means use them,” Capt. Jermaine Thomas advised CalMatters, including the division plans to destroy each the grenades and the submachine gun. 

The investigation additionally discovered that some schools used the reporting course of to reevaluate their tools.

After inquiries from CalMatters, Compton School adopted a army tools coverage for the primary time, held a public assembly and created further oversight committees for its police division.

“As a pacesetter, you must perceive what errors are made. It’s a must to repair the errors,” Compton School President Keith Curry advised CalMatters. 

Different campuses, together with Chaffey School, MiraCosta School, Southwestern School and several other group school districts, additionally up to date insurance policies or mentioned they deliberate to enhance compliance after being contacted in the course of the investigation. 

The evaluation additionally highlighted scholar issues in regards to the rising presence of military-style tools on campus, significantly following giant pro-Palestinian demonstrations that swept California universities in 2024.

“All the campus was speaking about it,” scholar César Tlatoāni Alvarado advised CalMatters whereas describing opposition to a proposal for Mt. San Antonio School to amass AR-15 rifles. 

“There have been so many college students that have been yelling,” Alvarado advised CalMatters. “They have been screaming on the administration. They have been upset, they have been pissed off. They felt betrayed.” 

CalMatters reported that Mt. San Antonio School in the end had not bought the rifles as of June 2026. 

Based on the investigation, a number of schools additionally mentioned they’re now dedicated to totally complying with California’s army tools transparency regulation and, in some instances, decreasing the quantity of military-style tools stored by campus police.

Reported campus inventories

• UC San Francisco: 68 semi-automatic rifles, 28 less-lethal launchers, 54,000 rifle rounds and one Lengthy Vary Acoustic System.
• UC San Diego: 61 semi-automatic rifles, 13 less-lethal launchers, 5,500 rifle rounds and one Lengthy Vary Acoustic System.
• Clovis, Fresno, Madera and Reedley schools: 35 semi-automatic rifles and two less-lethal launchers.
• San Jose State College: 28 semi-automatic rifles, seven less-lethal launchers, 30,150 rifle rounds and a couple of,600 pepper-ball munitions.
• UC Berkeley: 24 semi-automatic rifles, 19 less-lethal launchers, 5,000 rifle rounds and one Lengthy Vary Acoustic System.
• UC Santa Barbara: 24 semi-automatic rifles, 16 less-lethal launchers, 6,000 rifle rounds and one Lengthy Vary Acoustic System.
• UC Santa Cruz: 23 semi-automatic rifles, 12 less-lethal launchers, 7,500 rifle rounds and one Lengthy Vary Acoustic System.
• San Diego Neighborhood School District: 22 semi-automatic rifles, 19 less-lethal launchers and 9,400 rifle rounds.
• San Francisco State College: 22 semi-automatic rifles and 7 less-lethal launchers.
• UC Davis: 20 semi-automatic rifles, six less-lethal launchers, 5,000 rifle rounds and one Lengthy Vary Acoustic System.
• UC Irvine: 20 semi-automatic rifles, 19 less-lethal launchers, 16,000 rifle rounds and one Lengthy Vary Acoustic System.
• Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura schools: 20 semi-automatic rifles, 10 less-lethal launchers and 22,260 rifle rounds.
• UC Merced: 20 semi-automatic rifles, seven less-lethal launchers, 19,600 rifle rounds and one Lengthy Vary Acoustic System.
• Chaffey School: 18 semi-automatic rifles and 9 less-lethal launchers.
• UC Riverside: 17 semi-automatic rifles, 12 less-lethal launchers, 3,000 rifle rounds and one Lengthy Vary Acoustic System.
• MiraCosta School: 15 semi-automatic rifles, eight less-lethal launchers and 10,780 rifle rounds.
• Cerritos School: 13 semi-automatic rifles and three less-lethal launchers.
• Compton School: 10 semi-automatic rifles and three less-lethal launchers.
• Santa Monica School: 10 semi-automatic rifles, two less-lethal launchers and 1,600 rifle rounds.
• Mission and West Valley schools: 9 semi-automatic rifles, six less-lethal launchers and three,800 rifle rounds.
• Crafton Hills School and San Bernardino Valley School: Eight semi-automatic rifles and two less-lethal launchers.
• Cuesta School: Eight semi-automatic rifles (rifle ammunition unspecified).
• Southwestern School: Seven semi-automatic rifles, 12 less-lethal launchers, 5,978 rifle rounds and three,755 pepper-ball munitions.
• Allen Hancock School: Six semi-automatic rifles and 4 less-lethal launchers.
• El Camino School: Six semi-automatic rifles, 11 less-lethal launchers and 300 pepper-ball munitions.

Different campuses reported proudly owning less-lethal launchers however no publicly listed semi-automatic rifles, together with Cal State Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Chico, Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Humboldt, Lengthy Seashore, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, Northridge, Pomona, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, San Marcos, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Napa Valley School, Palomar School, and the Foothill-De Anza Neighborhood School District, in keeping with CalMatters’ evaluation of campus information.

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