Gonzales council accepts annual report on police military equipment; public comment raises misuse concerns

The Gonzales City Council on May 19 accepted the Gonzales Police Department’s annual report on military equipment and directed staff to post the report on the police department and city websites for at least 30 days and to schedule a public hearing on the report.

City staff said the report is required under local ordinance and that there had been no acquisitions of additional military equipment in the reporting year and none anticipated for the coming year. The staff presentation explained the ordinance requires an annual review and posting and recommended the council accept the report and set a public hearing date.

During public comment, Henry Martinez addressed the council at length to allege police misconduct, including multiple alleged assaults, seizure of his medications during arrest and alleged inappropriate drone use on July 4. Martinez said the drone operator “should have been flying the drone, catching the other people fight popping fireworks” and said the video evidence shown to the court led to charges being dropped in his view.

Councilmember Scott Funk moved to accept the annual report and to direct staff to post it and publicize the hearing that will allow public input; the motion passed unanimously.

Why it matters: The AB 481–style annual report and ordinance review are intended to provide public transparency about the police department’s possession and use of certain types of equipment. The public comment underscored community concern about equipment use and police conduct and prompted the council to complete the required public‑posting step and schedule the follow‑up hearing.

Next steps: Staff will post the report on the police and city websites for 30 days and schedule a public hearing for additional public comment before the council’s ordinance review date.