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San Diego City Council approves continued use of license‑plate readers after hours of public testimony
Summary
After more than six hours of public comment and council deliberation, the City Council voted to keep the city’s automated license‑plate reader (ALPR) and related smart‑street‑light use policies in place, approving updates that require weekly audits and vendor notification to city officials for any federal data requests. The ALPR vote was the most contentious, passing narrowly 5–3.
The San Diego City Council voted to keep the city’s ALPR and smart‑street‑light use policies in effect on Dec. 9 after a prolonged public hearing that drew over 180 speakers and intense debate among councilmembers. The council approved the surveillance package that included updated auditing and vendor notification commitments; the final vote on ALPR‑related policy language passed 5–3.
The council’s action followed an SDPD presentation describing policy clarifications, security certifications and stronger auditing for ALPRs and smart street lights. SDPD representatives told the council they have tightened access controls and auditing practices, and that each ALPR search must be logged with a valid case number. SDPD said it would suspend city ALPR access if it found evidence federal agencies had improperly obtained the city’s data.
The meeting’s public comment period ran for hours and split between advocates who urged discontinuing the contract with the private vendor Flock Safety and…
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