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A community meeting will be held Wednesday on San Diego police use of surveillance technologies — four of which are new, one that is already in use and one that proposes new uses of surveillance data.
The meeting will be held in an Oak Park church and simulcast in eight locations around the city.
Officials said police subject-matter experts plan to discuss the six technologies in a review required under a city ordinance called the Transparent and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology.
Items to be discussed include whether San Diego police should be allowed to access license plate recognition data shared by other law enforcement agencies through the Flock system. According to a department spokesperson, San Diego police currently can only access other agencies’ data on a case-by-case basis.
The proposed change would increase the department’s ability to “generate investigative leads, improve situational awareness, locate vehicles associated with criminal activity, connect series-related crimes and respond more effectively to threats,” the department said in a statement.
Other proposals to be addressed include allowing private and public entities to voluntarily share their data, such as surveillance video, with police; developing methods to detect unauthorized drone operators; allowing SWAT officers to use Smart Glasses to take photos and videos; and developing a Drone as First Responder program, which would allow drones to gather and transmit real-time information from incidents, oftentimes before the first officer arrives to a scene. The department also will discuss its underwater remote-operated vehicle, a technology already used by police.
Police officials say community members can provide feedback in person or up until July 29 at sandiego.gov/police/technology. Issues presented at the community meeting will be reviewed by the city’s Privacy Advisory Board and the City Council.
The in-person meeting will start at 3 p.m. at the Anchor Church on 1765 Pentecoast Way. The session will be simulcast, with opportunities for the public to ask questions and offer comments, at the City Heights Library, Hourglass Park, La Jolla Recreation Center, the Mission Trails Visitor Center, the Otay Mesa-Nestor Branch Library, the Scripps Ranch Civic Association Community Center, the Submerge Church at 4851 Newport Ave. and the Miracle Potion Cafe and Tea Room at 690 W. B. St.
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