"County leaders approved a contract with Flock in June 2023 to cover unincorporated parts of the county with over 100 license plate readers. Last April, the board agreed to pay for Flock's pan-tilt-zoom cameras, which allow the sheriff's department to conduct surveillance on pedestrians, vehicles, and more. In July, the board signed a $600,000 year-long deal with Flock for the AeroDome system, which stations drones at sheriff's facilities where they can be deployed on a minute's notice."
"According to a memo filed by Sheriff Sanchez, ALPR technology has been used to arrest violent criminals, recover stolen vehicles, and has led to a "significant decrease in violent and overall crime." However, Supervisor Elisa Márquez, who made the motion to postpone the board's decision, said she and her colleagues have questions for the sheriff, noting that this is a "very sensitive and controversial topic.""
Alameda County's Board of Supervisors tabled a proposed extension of its contract with Flock Safety pending responses from Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez. The county previously approved over 100 license plate readers in June 2023, purchased pan-tilt-zoom cameras for pedestrian and vehicle surveillance, and signed a $600,000 year-long AeroDome drone deployment. The newest proposal would extend Flock's work through June 2026, largely retroactively. A sheriff's memo states ALPR technology has aided arrests of violent criminals, recovered stolen vehicles, and produced a "significant decrease in violent and overall crime." Supervisors raised privacy concerns and potential federal access to Flock data, especially affecting vulnerable communities.
Read at The Oaklandside
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