‘We will never use them’: the California universities stockpiling AR-15s, grenades and submachine guns
Summary
Several California public universities have military-grade weapons like AR-15 rifles and stun grenades for campus police to help keep campuses safe. A 2021 state law requires transparency about this equipment, including annual reports and public meetings, but many campuses are not fully following these rules.Key Facts
- California law allows campus police to have military equipment only if necessary for civilian safety.
- Schools must report their military equipment yearly and hold public forums for feedback.
- Not all 148 public California campuses consistently publish or fully detail these reports online.
- Some universities, like San Jose State and San Francisco State, have AR-15 rifles despite unclear authorization under policies.
- Several campus police departments failed to hold required public meetings in 2025 or provide details about them.
- The University of California delayed publishing its police equipment list until after being asked multiple times.
- Cal State’s board has not reviewed the systemwide weapon policy publicly since 2022.
- Some campuses do not send their required reports to governing bodies as the law demands.
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