Ban Scattershot Munitions and Restrict Drone Use in Alameda County

Last Thursday, the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights heard testimony on the use of “less lethal” weapons by police throughout the Americas. The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture has called for a prohibition on munitions used by police that fire multiple projectiles – what we call “scattershot” – because they are indiscriminate.

Yet the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office has 900 of these munitions – and is asking for approval to keep using them, including in Santa Rita Jail.  This month the Alameda County Board of Supervisors will make decisions on Alameda County Sheriff’s military equipment � including dangerous scattershot munitions used by sheriff deputies and unregulated use of drones in the county. We urge you to weigh in through emails and public comments.

Specifically, the Sheriff’s Office will hold a “community engagement meeting” on its military equipment use this Friday, November 17 at 6pm at the Castro Valley Public Library (near BART). Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez has indicated she expects to be present. Please join us and other community members to ask questions and express your concerns. If you can’t make it, send a question about scattershot munitions, drones or other military equipment for the sheriff to answer.

We expect the Board of Supervisors to take up military equipment at its meeting on Tuesday, November 28, beginning at 10:45 am. Please join us in writing to the Supervisors in the coming week, and giving public comment at the (hybrid) public hearing.