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Berkeley renews Flock contract but does not expand system
Berkeley renews Flock contract but does not expand system.
BERKELEY, Calif. - The Berkeley City Council has voted to renew its existing contract for the Flock automated license plate reader system, though officials blocked a significant expansion of the city's surveillance network.
The extension will go on for a year and cost $200,000.
Compromise vote
What we know:
While the council agreed to maintain the current cameras, they rejected a proposal that would have broadened the system to include drones, additional fixed cameras, and integrated investigative software. Both supporters and opponents of the technology packed Thursday night’s meeting, which followed a demonstration held by critics before the session began.
Opponents argued that Flock Safety shares data with federal immigration authorities, a practice they claim directly conflicts with Berkeley’s and California's sanctuary policies.
Berkeley Mayor Adena Ishii voiced strong opposition to the expansion, citing a lack of trust in both the vendor and federal oversight.
"I don't trust our federal government to not reach into this data and try to use it to attack immigrant communities," Ishii said.
She added that the company "has proven to us time and time again that we just can't trust them."