Police Equipment Debate Runs Out of Clock as Richmond Council Backs Superfund Cleanup

Richmond's City Council powered through a six-hour marathon session Tuesday night, unanimously demanding a full cleanup of a DDT-contaminated Superfund site and fielding urgent pleas from longshoremen over diverted sugar shipments — but ran out of time before it could vote on the most contentious item of the evening: the police department's military equipment report. The unresolved policing debate, which drew 27 speakers and exposed deep divisions over public safety spending, will have to wait for a future meeting.

• Police military equipment report draws hours of debate, 27 speakers — but no vote before 11 PM adjournment
• Council unanimously backs community plan demanding full DDT cleanup of United Heckathorn Superfund site ahead of EPA's August deadline
• ILWU longshoremen and Filipino community groups urge city to halt sugar unloading at Levin Terminal tied to C&H strike
• Ethics commission ballot measure blocked from moving up on the agenda; item never reached
• City lands $11.2 million federal grant for Port of Richmond infrastructure

The basics: Under state law AB 481, cities must approve annual reports on police use of military-style equipment — or departments lose the authority to use it. Richmond's 60-page report covered 15 drones, 82 rifles, diversionary devices, chemical agents, a tactical robot, and a mobile command center.