Oakland City Council Committee Rejects $2.25 Million Flock Safety Camera Expansion Amid Privacy Concerns

Oakland, California – A committee of the Oakland City Council recently voted against a proposed $2.25 million contract extension with Flock Safety, which would have expanded the city's automated license plate reader (ALPR) camera network. The decision follows intense public debate and a lawsuit filed against the Oakland Police Department (OPD) over alleged illegal data sharing practices. Activists voiced strong opposition, highlighting privacy infringements and the potential for misuse of surveillance technology.

The controversy centers on Flock Safety's ALPR system, which captures license plate data and vehicle characteristics, storing them in a searchable database. Critics argue that this technology creates a mass surveillance network, tracking the movements of all residents, not just those suspected of crimes. Reports have also emerged about local police departments, including San Francisco, sharing Flock data with federal agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), despite state laws prohibiting such sharing.

During public hearings, numerous speakers, including prominent activist Cat Brooks, Executive Director of the Anti-Police Terror Project, urged council members to reject the contract. One speaker explicitly identified as an employee of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) also opposed the expansion. As noted by an observer, "a dozen and more speakers stood at the podium, reading scripted objections to FLOCK from the very devices that hold the most intimate details of their lives," highlighting a perceived irony in the debate.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has consistently criticized ALPR systems, stating they pose significant threats to privacy and civil liberties. The EFF argues that these systems create vast databases of sensitive location information that can reveal intimate details of a person's life, and are vulnerable to data breaches and misuse. They have also pointed to instances where ALPR data was used in abortion investigations and immigration enforcement, contradicting sanctuary city policies.

The Oakland Police Department has expressed disappointment over the committee's vote, asserting that the camera system is an essential tool for public safety, especially given staffing shortages. OPD officials previously sought to install up to 40 additional cameras as part of a two-year extension. The department stated it would consider community concerns before re-presenting the item to the full Council.

The California Highway Patrol recently issued a warning to Flock Safety, reaffirming that data gathered via Flock cameras cannot be shared with federal officials, citing state law AB 34. Advocacy group Secure Justice has also filed a lawsuit against OPD, alleging the department violated state and local laws by sharing ALPR data with federal authorities. The ongoing legal and public challenges underscore the deep divisions surrounding the use of advanced surveillance technologies in Oakland.