Berkeley council expands authorized police uses of dogs, helicopters in contentious vote

City councilmembers in Berkeley voted to expand the use of enforcement using police dogs and helicopters at its regular meeting Tuesday but delayed a decision on rescinding a ban on the Police Department’s use of chemical weapons.

Councilmembers voted 5-4 to approve a pair of resolutions by Councilmember Rashi Kesarwani that retracted a City Council resolution from 1982 that prohibited the Police Department from using dogs or helicopters for most enforcement.