SAN DIEGO – The City Council has voted to continue to allow the San Diego Police Department to implement 54 surveillance policies, including Smart Streetlights and Automated License Plate Readers.
Smart Streetlights use energy-efficient LED technology equipped with motion sensors and dimming capabilities, allowing them to adjust their brightness based on the presence of people or vehicles. ALPRs capture an image of a vehicle and the vehicle’s license plate. This then allows police to compare the license plate number acquired to one or more databases for identification.
Times of San Diego conducted a “Shout Out” on local reaction to the use of Smart Streetlights and ALPRs. We asked residents if they approve of the council’s Dec. 9 decision or are concerned about the technologies compromising personal privacy.
Nearly all of the respondents favored continued use of Smart Streetlights and ALPRs, though some had reservations. Here’s what they had to say:
“I’m not concerned at all,” said Ed Witt of La Jolla. “It’s a great tool to help law enforcement and support the program.”
Marcella Teran, Neighborhood Watch coordinator for Pacific and Mission beaches, concurred with Witt, pointing to how the technology helps a short-staffed department. She credited SDPD officials for “working closely with the city’s Privacy Advisory Board to strengthen the policy, conduct thorough audits, uphold the privacy of all people and address their concerns and requests,” while giving presentations in communities about the technology.
“SDPD has made it clear that no data will be shared with the federal government regarding immigration or for any other reason,” Teran said. “The technology will not be used at women’s health care clinics, and it may only be used to investigate specific crimes that are being investigated. It is not used to target specific groups or specific ethnic backgrounds.”
Restaurateur Mark Oliver, owner of Pueblo in PB takes a practical view.
“The beach areas are high-crime zones in the city,” he said. “As a resident and business owner, I vote to give the police all of the tools that they want and need to keep a lid on criminal activity.”
Frances O’Neill Zimmerman of La Jolla believes statistics reflect that “spying streetlights and license plate readers” help police catch “evil-doers.”
However, she warned, “But I do wonder about the cost in lost privacy. Privacy is slipping away with every new gadget that’s invented, adopted, and billed as a public good. It is some comfort that the City Council is supposed to annually review its continued use.”
Marcie Beckett of PB sided embraces use of the technology, with limits.
“The license-plate readers are great if they are used to solve crimes and catch criminals,” she said. “But, they should not be used to track immigrants or citizens who are not involved in crimes.”
Janie Emerson of La Jolla Shores “totally supports” Smart Streetlights and ALPRs.
“They really do keep us safer,” she said. “They are non-invasive and in the public domain. If you choose to wear an Apple Watch, have a Ring doorbell, use a smartphone, do all financial or medical online, are on social media, or use an Alexa-type device, you have already lost all your personal privacy.”
Bill Zent of PB understands the “privacy concerns” voiced about police technology use. But he pointed out: “Our cars are recorded by numerous security cameras all over. With the number of hit-and-runs and the violence that has descended on our city, these are an asset that helps police connect suspects and hit-and-run cases with witness testimony. I am OK with them.”
SDPD claims that, since ALPR was installed citywide in 2024, the technology has assisted police in more than 600 investigations and resulted in upwards of 420 arrests. Officers have recovered at least 20 firearms and $5.8 million in stolen property involving 440 stolen vehicles.
Police surveillance technologies, however, have been criticized by some as posing a danger to public privacy and offering the potential for governmental misuse.
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