Police Division’s ‘Good Streetlight’ Plan Wins Metropolis Council Committee’s OK

The San Diego Police Division‘s proposed surveillance know-how with good streetlight cameras and automatic license plate readers was superior by town’s Public Security Committee.

Wednesday’s vote of 3-1 sends the proposal to the total Metropolis Council. in keeping with Ashley Bailey of the Metropolis of San Diego.

The proposal would enable using good streetlight video cameras paired with automated license plate recognition by SDPD at 500 areas all through town, Bailey mentioned. The proposal contains data concerning entry, information storage and retention, the discharge of knowledge and knowledge collected, and extra.

“Job No. 1 for any metropolis is to maintain its residents secure, and good streetlights have confirmed their means to assist the San Diego Police Division resolve crimes and make our communities safer,” mentioned San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria.

“SDPD has demonstrated it might probably use this know-how responsibly and has supplied a wealth of knowledge to be able to adjust to town’s privateness ordinance. I thank the Public Security Committee for shifting this merchandise ahead immediately,” he mentioned.

A number of individuals mentioned they consider the know-how will infringe on their privateness rights, particularly for individuals of coloration. In addition they mentioned they concern being over-surveillanced and focused due to their background.

“I’ve no freedom of motion.” mentioned Erin Tsurumoto Grassi, coverage director of Alliance San Diego. “SDPD can monitor my whole day with good streetlights. The best to privateness is a common human proper. Communities of coloration have longed been surveilled by legislation enforcement and had this proper violated.”

SDPD officers mentioned they don’t use the know-how in a discriminatory method or to focus on individuals based mostly on age, pores and skin coloration or ethnicity. The license plate readers and streetlight cameras shouldn’t have facial recognition or audio know-how.

The town will personal the information from the cameras and won’t share that data.

The information is not going to be monitored in real-time — solely when against the law is reported. Police mentioned the license plate information can be deleted after 30 days, and the streetlight footage can be overwritten after 15 days.