Newark Advances Police Military Equipment Policy With No-ICE Assurance
City Council • NewarkNovember 13, 2026
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Newark's annual review of police military equipment drew no public speakers Nov. 12, 2026, but council members used the hearing to confirm that none of the gear will be used to help federal immigration agents. The council voted unanimously to introduce the ordinance readopting the policy. It also approved a 2% raise for the city manager and narrowly kept its August recess.
- Police military equipment ordinance introduced unanimously after police confirm equipment won't assist ICE
- City manager gets 2% raise, to $194.48 an hour, with one member warning about future deficits
- Council votes 2-3 against moving summer recess from August to July, keeping a schedule of almost 40 years
- Mayor condemns Oct. 25 attack on Councilmember Eve Marie Little during community outreach
Police Equipment Policy Clears First Vote
The basics: AB 481, a state law, requires cities to approve their police military equipment use policy by ordinance each year. "Military equipment" is a legal category under the law. It does not mean the gear came from the armed forces.
"The Newark Police Department does not own or possess or use any equipment that was owned by the military," said City Manager David J. Benoun.
Why it matters: The annual hearing is the public's main window into police tools such as drones and rifles. This year, the debate centered on federal immigration enforcement rather than the equipment itself.
Where things stand: Lt. Michelle Grissett of the Newark Police Department walked the council through the policy's history, from its 2022 adoption to the 2025 annual report published Sept. 29, 2026. A community engagement meeting followed. She concluded the equipment remains cost-effective and necessary. Policy 709, the governing department policy, is unchanged, and the ordinance falls under Chapter 2.50 of the Newark Municipal Code.
Councilmember Terrence Grindall asked whether the equipment is mostly protective or non-lethal, and whether the city's policy against cooperating with ICE applies. Grissett confirmed both points.
"None of our equipment is going to be utilized to assist ICE in any of their apprehensions," said Grissett.
Councilmember Julie Del Catancio asked how many people attended the community meeting. Grissett said she believed about 26 people came to view the equipment, and none raised concerns. Mayor Michael Hannon backed the law, calling the annual process educational.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Grindall moved to introduce the ordinance and Del Catancio seconded. The mayor announced it passed unanimously; no numerical tally was given. No one from the public spoke at the hearing. The ICE exchange puts on record that the policy applies to the equipment, which immigrant residents and advocates may want to hold the department to.
What's next: The ordinance needs a second reading before it takes effect.
City Manager Raise Passes, With a Budget Warning
Why it matters: The 2% raise is permanent and recurring. It also raises pension and benefit costs at a time when at least one member is worried about future budgets.
Where things stand: The city attorney gave the oral report that state law SB 1436 requires before councils act on executive pay. Amendment No. 5 to Benoun's contract would "result in a 2% increase in salary, to change the hourly compensation to $194.48," said the City Attorney.
The raise moves Benoun from 1.6% below market to 0.22% above. It also addresses compaction, which happens when a supervisor's pay creeps too close to the pay of the people they oversee. Benoun's salary is currently 3% above the police chief's.
"The proposed increase would place the city manager salary 5% above the police chief salary," said the City Attorney.
Grindall asked what supervisory pay gaps typically look like.
The other side: Councilmember Eve Marie Little said she would vote yes, but not without reservations.
"It's hard to approve a permanent increase when our future budget deficit hangs over our head," said Little.
She asked for deficit updates at the March midyear review and for pay comparisons with cities of similar size.
Hannon pushed back. He said the city projects a modest surplus and expects about $5M in new revenue from Measure DD starting in January.
"We do not have a looming deficit in the City of Newark," said Hannon.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Vice Mayor Matthew Jorgens moved approval and Del Catancio seconded. The mayor announced it passed unanimously. The vote cements the manager's pay above market. It also sets up the March review as a checkpoint for the budget questions Little raised.
What's next: Watch for Little's requested deficit update and peer-city comparisons at the March midyear review.
Split Council Keeps August Recess
Why it matters: This was the night's only divided vote. The recess decision shapes when the council meets around budget adoption and election filing, and it keeps a schedule the city has followed for almost 40 years.
Where things stand: Hannon framed the choice directly: "Do we retain the August recess or move our recess to July?"
He argued for August on three grounds. Most Alameda County cities and regional boards, including StopWaste and the county transportation agency, break in August. July meetings may be needed for budget or labor items. And council norms call for standing behind prior decisions.
Del Catancio agreed. "It does align with our region and our state," said Del Catancio.
The other side: Grindall argued that school calendars have shifted, making August a poor fit.
"It's time for the city to be more modern and have our recess match with our school district and college calendars," said Grindall.
Little supported the move, noting she teaches abroad in July.
Jorgens brought the workload data. Comparing past agenda counts, he said, "We had 82 in July and 73 in September." He asked whether a break lines up with when the city's business actually happens. Staff said the decision was the council's to make.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Grindall moved to switch the recess to July and Little seconded. The motion failed (For: 2, Against: 3, Absent: 0); individual votes were not announced. The council will keep meeting in July, preserving a window for budget and labor actions. For residents, August remains the month with no council meetings.
Mayor Condemns Attack on Councilmember
In closing remarks, Hannon described an Oct. 25 attack on Little while she was doing community outreach.
"I want to be clear that violence of any kind is unacceptable in our community," said Hannon.
He said a resident provided a license plate number, and that the city's Flock camera system helped lead to the suspect's arrest. Flock cameras are automated license plate readers, a surveillance tool that often draws scrutiny in Bay Area cities.
Hannon also thanked veterans and the voters who passed Measure DD with almost 75% support. Grindall congratulated Hannon, Jorgens and Little on their reelection. Jorgens closed his series on Newark's 150th anniversary with the city's incorporation vote: "On September 13, 1955, Newark residents voted in a special election." Del Catancio noted the opening of a Little Free Library and the Safeway reopening.
Minor Items
- Consent calendar passed (For: 5, Against: 0, Absent: 0). Items include a maximum 4.2% solid waste rate increase for 2027, a $5M grant application for the Newark Community Park All Abilities Playground, a Kaiser Permanente grant appropriation, support for the Cedar Boulevard Pedestrian Improvement Project, and renaming of the Measure GG oversight committee.
- Lung Cancer Awareness Month proclaimed for November. Hannon shared that his mother died of the disease in 1989. Fatima Usmani of the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative urged people ages 50 to 80 with a smoking history to ask their doctors about screening, noting "fewer than 17% of high-risk Californians are being screened."
- Parks vacancies: Yoo-Yoo Yeh, Newark organizer, Urban Forest Friends, thanked staff for posting the maintenance manager job. She said three maintenance and urban forestry leadership posts remain open and "the remaining work is falling on our remaining staff."
- Zoning barrier: Oral Valdez, a public commenter, said a 2018 ordinance bars schools and churches at his family's Del Mar office complex, blocking a sale to a neighboring school. Benoun offered a meeting with the community development director.
- New faces: Students finishing a six-week local government program were recognized. The mayor introduced new hires, including dispatcher Precious Gerardo and Division Chief Dave Nguyen, the new Alameda County Fire liaison, after Newark extended its county fire contract for 10 years.
Looking Ahead
- Saturday, Nov. 14: Community tree planting at the Silliman Center.
- Nov. 23 to Dec. 31: The Silliman gymnasium and dance studio are closed.
- Nov. 24-26: King tides are expected; the city is clearing storm drains and offering sandbags.
- Nov. 24-25: A planned PG&E outage moves the Aquatic Center closure to Nov. 25 through Dec. 13.
- Dec. 3: Tree lighting.
- January 2027: Playgrounds at Birch Grove, Jerry Raber Ash Street and Mirabu parks are expected to reopen.