San Diego City Council votes to remove Flock Safety license plate readers

A former San Diego County Sheriff's Office commander who helped implement license plate readers now calls for stricter regulations on their use, citing privacy risks, Times of San Diego reported.

On October 21, the San Diego City Council unanimously voted to begin the process of removing Flock Safety cameras used by the city. The mayor, Todd Gloria, who credits the system with aiding nearly 900 investigations and recovering $8.7 million in stolen property, may veto this decision, the report said.

The debate in the City Council has largely overlooked the use of these cameras in other parts of the county. The former commander, who lives in La Mesa, noted that he regularly passes by the 20 cameras installed there, which have also been queried frequently, according to Times of San Diego.

The former law enforcement official emphasized that while the technology can help solve serious crimes if used with discipline and honesty, the current lack of oversight and public transparency is concerning. The City Council's vote reflects growing public scrutiny of surveillance technologies in San Diego.

The next steps include a possible mayoral veto and further evaluation of the cameras' effectiveness and privacy implications in the city and county.