"OAKLAND - The company that manufactures Oakland's surveillance cameras remains in play to secure a new $2 million city contract, despite concerns that the license plate information captured by the devices could wind up in the hands of federal immigration authorities. A committee of Oakland City Council members rejected the deal last month after hundreds spoke out against the software company Flock Safety, which has fended off accusations that its camera data could be used for immigration enforcement in the sanctuary city."
"But a separate committee voted last week to bypass the city's ordinary legislative process and usher the deal to a final vote - a decision that followed robust lobbying efforts by Flock officials and the Oakland Police Department. The contract will now appear Tuesday before the full council. Flock Safety already has 300 cameras installed along the city's busiest thoroughfares and nearby East Bay state highways, but until now those had been operated by California Highway Patrol, by order of Gov. Gavin Newsom."
Oakland is considering a $2 million contract renewal with Flock Safety for license-plate-reading surveillance cameras amid privacy and immigration-enforcement concerns. A City Council committee previously rejected the deal after hundreds of residents protested, citing fears that plate data could be accessed by federal immigration authorities. A different council committee advanced the contract to the full council following lobbying by Flock and the Oakland Police Department. Flock already operates 300 cameras locally under California Highway Patrol oversight. Police argue the cameras help catch suspects and cover staffing shortfalls; opponents call for a different vendor or contract rejection.
Read at The Mercury News
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]