South Gate, California Development News

Southgate Council Votes Against Renewing Flock License Plate Reader Contract Amidst Privacy and Cost Concerns

The city council discussed the use of Flock license plate readers (LPRs) by the Southgate Police Department. The presentation addressed concerns about data sharing, privacy, and the technology's capabilities. The police chief and a representative from Flock Safety clarified that data is not shared with federal agencies for immigration enforcement and that the system is used for criminal investigations only. Despite these clarifications, many residents and some council members expressed significant concerns regarding privacy, potential misuse, the cost of the system, and the lack of trust in the technology and its providers. Several council members indicated a leaning towards not renewing the contract, citing these concerns and the city's budget deficit. The city manager stated that they would take the council's direction not to renew the contract for the Flock system, as it falls within their purview for amounts under $50,000. The decision was made to not renew the contract.