Times of San Diego reported that the San Diego City Council could vote Monday, Nov. 16, to turn off all 505 of the city's automated license plate reader cameras. The council's vote is scheduled for 2 p.m. that day.
If the council declines to authorize an updated ALPR use policy, the city would have to shut off every one of its ALPR cameras. The decision sits with the council.
Would the vote end the Flock Safety contract?
Not by itself. Times of San Diego says the council's decision would not end the city's contract with Flock Safety. Once the cameras are off, cancelling the contract would primarily be the mayor's call.
- The 2023 contract with Ubicquia names Flock as a subcontractor.
- It expires in 2028 and carries a nearly $12 million agreement.
- A clause lets the city terminate at any point if it does not approve use of the technology.
Who has backed the shutdown?
Councilmember Raul Campillo withdrew his support Thursday after learning that San Diego police used plate readers to track a domestic violence victim during an internal affairs investigation. Voice of San Diego first reported that case. Campillo is now demanding an immediate suspension and an audit of police use.
Councilmember Stephen Whitburn withdrew his support about a month earlier, citing fears about the Trump administration's immigration crackdown tactics. With Whitburn and Campillo, six council members are ready to act. That is enough to override a veto from Mayor Todd Gloria, who has long backed the technology. He said Friday that he will not veto a council decision.
What changes for drivers?
If the council votes to shut them off, the city's own plate reader cameras go dark. Cameras run by neighboring cities, the county, the state, businesses or HOAs stay where they are.
Times of San Diego also says it is not clear whether the vote would stop officers from searching Flock's database for hits from cameras the city does not own. So the shutdown alone does not settle that question. To see which cameras are mapped near you, check the camera map, and read how plate readers work for background on what the cameras record.
What happens next?
The council meets Monday, Nov. 16, at 2 p.m. Residents who want to weigh in can ask a few specific questions before or at that meeting:
- Will the council authorize an updated ALPR use policy, or leave it unapproved?
- Will the city move to cancel the Flock contract, and when?
- Will the audit Campillo requested cover every officer's searches, including the ones tied to the domestic violence case?
If you want records on how your local agency uses these systems, the agency transparency records page is a place to start.