On August 1, 2023, the San Diego City Council voted to move forward with the deployment of 500 Smart Streetlights equipped with surveillance cameras and automated license plate readers, despite strong opposition from the public and a newly appointed privacy board. These cameras are planned to be operational 24 hours a day and will be accessible to police officers only when a serious crime happens in the area.
San Diego's Privacy Board previously voted unanimously against the Smart Streetlights in their current form, raising concerns over civil liberties and potential misuse of the technology. Nevertheless, the City Council approved the traffic program in a split 6-3 vote, to the dismay of Council President Sean Elo-Rivera and councilmembers Vivian Moreno and Monica Montgomery Steppe who voted against the cameras, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Defending the decision, Mayor Todd Gloria cited safety concerns, arguing that Smart Streetlights and Automated License Plate Readers would assist the San Diego Police Department in identifying and apprehending suspects in deadly crimes, as reported by NBC 7 San Diego.
However, many citizens expressed their discontent during the City Council meeting, questioning the lack of review by the Privacy Advisory Board and worrying about potential misuse of the technology in poorer communities and against people of color.
This vote also reinforces San Diego as a pioneer in surveillance technology, with the city being one of the first to combine Smart Streetlights and Automatic License Plate Readers. Other cities have shown interest in adopting similar technologies. For example, last March, the El Cajon City Council approved a one-year pilot program for the El Cajon Police Department's use of license plate reading cameras from Flock Safety.
While the Smart Streetlights technology is now approved, it will only be implemented once appropriate contracts with technology providers Ubiquia and Flock Safety are signed. Until then, the debate on the balance between public safety and privacy concerns is likely to continue in San Diego.
