Berkeley moves ahead with Flock surveillance cameras with 180-day video retention
Berkeley leaders split over ICE access, length of data storage; Oakland official speaks wistfully about carrying a "strap" at sideshows of his youth; 'Dro official has skipped seven straight meetings.
☕️MORNING BUZZ
—Berkeley is moving forward with a new vendor, Flock Safety, to operate up to 16 external fixed video surveillance cameras, approving a policy that allows the footage to be retained for 180 days—despite concerns from some city leaders and residents over privacy and federal overreach.
The council approved transitioning its surveillance system to Flock’s Condor camera model, solar-powered devices that address past installation hurdles and integrate with the city’s existing automated license plate reader (ALPR) system. A contract with Flock, however, must still be negotiated.
Berkeley Councilmember Igor Tregub raised concerns about civil liberties and the potential for future misuse, referencing the Trump-era immigration crackdown.
“There are legitimate concerns about privacy given the current and past, and I shudder to say, likely future approach of the national administration,” Tregub said on Tuesday.
He proposed a shorter 90-day retention period, but the motion failed, with the council majority settling on 180 days. Anything shorter would hamper the Berkeley Police Department’s ability to fully investigate crimes, some councilmembers said.
Only authorized department personnel will have access to the footage, and an internal audit will be conducted twice a year to ensure all access is tied to approved uses.
The discussion on Tuesday night comes in the aftermath of a news report that asserted that agencies with access to data from ALPR cameras were able to gain information from the Oakland Police Department. In, at least one case, data was searched for ICE, according to the report.
Notably, the Flock surveillance cameras differ from ALPRs, which collect license plate data. The footage cannot be flagged for federal agencies like ICE.
—When Councilmember Cecilia Lunaparra asked what would happen if ICE requested footage, Flock’s public affairs director, Trevor Chandler, said, “Flock has never been served a subpoena by ICE or a warrant for data.”
Any subpoena or warrant would be disclosed to the city before any data was handed over, Chandler added.
Berkeley Police Chief Jennifer Louis emphasized that if a request did come in, she would engage directly with the agency and refer the matter to the city manager and attorney.
Public commenters showed up with sharp satire. One speaker impersonated President Trump’s advisor, Stephen Miller, using his face taped to a stick and mockingly thanking the council for supporting surveillance efforts in “sanctuary cities.”
Councilmember Mark Humbert defended the surveillance expansion, citing recent violent incidents in every council district. “As part of our bigger political movement,” he said, “we need to demonstrate that progressive cities can continue to deliver on the promise of public safety.”
Councilmembers left open the possibility of adjusting the program. “If privacy issues arise,” Humbert added, “we can shut them down. We can render them dormant if we have to.”
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