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Council tightens community control over public surveillance ordinance; amendments advance to third reading
Summary
Councilors voted 6–1 to advance amendments to the Community Control Over Public Surveillance (CCOPS) ordinance to third reading; supporters said changes plug implementation gaps, while at least one member opposed because of limited police involvement in drafting.
The Medford City Council voted 6–1 on Jan. 7 to approve amendments to the community control over public surveillance ordinance (CCOPS) and advance the ordinance to a third reading. The changes aim to address practical gaps identified during implementation since the ordinance was first adopted in March 2023.
Vice President Kit Collins summarized the amendment package as fixes to “weaker areas” identified during the first year of implementation. The amendments add rules for disposition of improperly collected data and close a loophole that could allow surveillance data to be bought or sold to commercial entities, among other technical clarifications.
Councilor Scarpelli said he opposed the amendments because he said the police chief had not been sufficiently involved in drafting the changes. Vice President Collins and other supporters said the ordinance was originally developed with input from the mayor’s office and the police and that the changes are intended to strengthen privacy protections and reporting protocols.
Outcome: The roll call recorded Councilor Callahan—Yes; Vice President Kit Collins—Yes; Councilor Lazaro—Yes; Councilor Lemming—Yes; Councilor Scarpelli—No; Councilor Singh—Yes; President Bares—Yes. The tally was 6 in favor, 1 opposed; the amendments move to third reading on Jan. 14.
