Lawsuit Alleges San Diego Violated Surveillance Ordinance with Smart Streetlights
San Diego Sued Over Alleged Unlawful use of Surveillance Tech at Major Events
San Diego,CA – A lawsuit filed Monday in San Diego Superior Court alleges the city violated its own surveillance technology ordinance by deploying cameras at high-profile events without proper public review.The complaint, brought by residents Seth Hall, Lilly Irani, and Mat Wahlstrom, claims the city used surveillance technology at Comic-Con and the Pride Parade without adhering to the Obvious and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology (TRUST) ordinance. this ordinance mandates public review and approval for any new deployment of surveillance technology.
“We have been subjected to the use of surveillance technology at one or more locations that were not disclosed in a Surveillance Use Policy approved by the San Diego City Council prior to the commencement of the use,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit comes on the heels of controversy surrounding the San Diego Police Department’s (SDPD) installation of “Smart Streetlight” cameras with automated license plate recognition technology in Hillcrest ahead of this summer’s Pride Parade.SDPD cited a rise in hate crimes and invoked the “exigent circumstances” clause of the TRUST ordinance to justify bypassing the standard approval process. Privacy advocates, though, criticized the move, arguing that the recurring event did not constitute an emergency justifying the expansion of surveillance.
“The police lack justification to claim that this recurring event is an emergency that justifies an unauthorized expansion of surveillance streetlights,” a statement from privacy advocacy groups read.
The use of Smart Streetlights in San Diego has been a contentious issue since their initial deployment. Initially presented as a traffic management tool, the cameras’ capabilities were later revealed, sparking public outcry and leading to the system’s temporary shutdown.
The program was revived last year with City Council approval, and SDPD began deploying cameras to 500 locations in December. However, infrastructure issues hampered installations at 42 locations.
Earlier this year, Mayor Todd Gloria’s office touted the effectiveness of smart Streetlights and license plate readers, claiming they played a crucial role in solving over 200 criminal cases, including an alleged kidnapping attempt at a Mission Valley mall. Gloria called the cameras “essential tools” for law enforcement.
The lawsuit seeks to hold the city accountable for adhering to its own surveillance technology regulations and ensure transparency in the deployment of such technology.
San diego Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Surveillance Ordinance Violations
San diego is facing a legal challenge over its use of surveillance technology at major events,with a lawsuit alleging the city violated its own ordinance by deploying cameras without proper public review.
The lawsuit, filed by residents Seth hall, Lilly Irani, and Mat Wahlstrom, claims the city deployed surveillance technology at Comic-Con and the Pride parade without adhering to the Obvious and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology (TRUST) ordinance.
this ordinance mandates public review and approval for any new deployment of surveillance technology, a process the plaintiffs argue was bypassed.
“We have been subjected to the use of surveillance technology at one or more locations that were not disclosed in a Surveillance use Policy approved by the San Diego City Council prior to the commencement of the use,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit follows controversy surrounding the San Diego Police Department’s (SDPD) installation of “Smart Streetlight” cameras with automated license plate recognition technology in Hillcrest ahead of the Pride Parade.
Citing a rise in hate crimes, SDPD invoked the “exigent circumstances” clause of the TRUST ordinance to justify bypassing the standard approval process.
Privacy advocates, however, criticized the move, arguing that the recurring event did not constitute an emergency justifying the expansion of surveillance.
“The police lack justification to claim that this recurring event is an emergency that justifies an unauthorized expansion of surveillance streetlights,” a statement from privacy advocacy groups read.
The use of Smart Streetlights in San Diego has been a contentious issue as their initial deployment.Initially presented as a traffic management tool,the cameras’ capabilities were later revealed,sparking public outcry and leading to the system’s temporary shutdown.
The program was revived last year with city Council approval, and SDPD began deploying cameras to 500 locations in December, although infrastructure issues have hampered installations at some locations.
Mayor Todd Gloria’s office has touted the effectiveness of smart Streetlights and license plate readers, claiming they played a crucial role in solving over 200 criminal cases. Gloria called the cameras “essential tools” for law enforcement.
The lawsuit seeks to hold the city accountable for adhering to its own surveillance technology regulations and ensure openness in the deployment of such technology.