Transparency

We know that trust between our police department and the community we serve isn't something we can just ask for - it's something we have to earn, every day, through openness and honest communication. That's why we're committed to sharing information about how we operate: our policies, our data, and even the moments when we don't get it right. You live here too, and you deserve to know how decisions are made on your behalf and in your neighborhoods.

Being transparent means more than posting policies online. It means making it easy for you to see what our officers are trained to do, how often certain tools and tactics are used, how complaints are handled, and where your tax dollars go. We regularly review our own practices, listen to feedback from the people we serve, and look for ways to do better. When something happens that raises questions or concerns in the community, we want to be the ones telling you about it directly, rather than leaving you to piece it together.

Transparency is an ongoing relationship, not a one-time promise. We'll keep adding to this page as we find new ways to share information that matters to you. If you have questions about anything here, or ideas for what else we should be sharing, we want to hear from you.

Policy

Department operations are governed by a written policy manual covering areas including use of force, vehicle pursuits, and the technologies described throughout this page, such as ALPRs, body-worn cameras, digital forensics, and drones. Each policy outlines legal standards, authorized uses, retention requirements, and oversight procedures. Policies are reviewed on a regular basis and updated to reflect changes in law, technology, and department practice. The full policy manual is published here for public review.

 Redwood City Police Department Policy Manual

Transparency Efforts

Police Advisory Committee

Our most important conversations happen with the people who live here, the community stakeholders. Our Police Advisory Committee is made up of community members, local leaders, and department representatives who meet regularly to talk through department policies, community concerns, and ways we can build a stronger relationship between the police and the neighborhoods we serve. This isn't a symbolic group - committee members review real policies, ask hard questions, and help shape decisions within the Department. Meetings are open to the public, and we encourage residents who care about the future of public safety here to attend, speak up, or apply to join.

Police Advisory Committee

Dashboards

We publish interactive dashboards so you can explore department data yourself, in real time, without having to file a records request. These dashboards include information such as calls for service, stops and arrests, use of force incidents, response times, and officer demographics. Our goal is to make this data easy to understand and easy to find, so you can see patterns and trends in your own community. We update these dashboards regularly and welcome feedback on what additional data would be helpful to you.

Redwood City Police Data Dashboards

Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR)

Our department uses Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology to help locate stolen vehicles, find missing persons, and support active investigations. ALPR cameras capture license plate images and compare them against law enforcement databases, such as lists of stolen vehicles or vehicles linked to active cases. We maintain clear policies on how long this data is retained, who can access it, and the circumstances under which it can be shared with other agencies. We have proven that tools like ALPR make our community safer, but are sensitive to the communities' privacy concerns, and want to use this technology in a way that reflects that balance; one that respects your right to privacy while still giving us the tools we need to solve crimes and bring missing persons home. In addition to the transparency portal below, we publish an annual report on this technology, available at the bottom of the page. 

Redwood City Police Department ALPR Transparency Portal

Military Equipment

Under California Assembly Bill 481 (AB 481), our department is required to maintain a Military Equipment List (MEL); a public inventory of every piece of equipment that falls under the law's definition of "military equipment". For each item on the list, we disclose its purpose, how and when it's authorized for use, its expected lifespan, and its cost to the department. The list of equipment is as follows: 

The 15 Categories of Military Equipment (Gov. Code § 7070)

1. Unmanned, remotely piloted, powered aerial or ground vehicles

2. Mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles or armored personnel carriers

3. High mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs/Humvees), two-and-one-half-ton trucks, five-ton trucks, or wheeled vehicles with a breaching or entry apparatus attached

4. Tracked armored vehicles that provide ballistic protection to their occupants

5. Command and control vehicles built or modified to facilitate operational control and direction of public safety units

6. Weaponized aircraft, vessels, or vehicles of any kind

7. Battering rams, slugs, and breaching apparatuses that are explosive in nature

8. Firearms and ammunition of .50 caliber or greater, excluding standard-issue shotguns and shotgun ammunition

9. Specialized firearms and ammunition of less than .50 caliber, including those identified as assault weapons under Penal Code §§ 30510 and 30515, excluding standard-issue handguns

10. Any firearm or firearm accessory designed to launch explosive projectiles

11. Noise-flash diversionary devices and explosive breaching tools

12. Munitions containing tear gas or OC (pepper spray agents), excluding standard, service-issued handheld pepper spray

13. TASER Shockwave, microwave weapons, water cannons, and long-range acoustic devices

14. Kinetic energy weapons and munitions

15. Any other equipment as determined by a governing body or state agency to require additional oversight

AB 481 was signed into law in 2021 to bring greater public oversight to the equipment used by local police departments. It requires that our City Council formally review and approve, through public ordinance, any policy governing the funding, acquisition, or use of this equipment. The law also requires us to publish an annual report detailing how the equipment was used over the year, any complaints received, and the results of any internal audits. We don't believe equipment like this should be a mystery to the community it's meant to protect, so we publish our current MEL, our use policy, and our annual reports here, and we welcome your questions about anything on it.

Transparency in Training: SB 978 (Penal Code § 13650)

On January 1, 2020, California Senate Bill 978 modified Penal Code section 13650, requiring law enforcement agencies to post certain records on their websites. The legislation requires POST and local law enforcement agencies to conspicuously distribute, via Department website, the following: 

Standards, policies, practices, operating procedures, and education and training materials

Making these regulations easily accessible to the public helps educate the community about law enforcement policies, practices, and procedures, increases communication and trust, and enhances transparency, while reducing the costs and labor associated with responding to individual records requests.

In compliance with SB 978, the Redwood City Police Department has made its current training documents available below (excluding the department policy manual, posted above).