Councilmember Whitburn, who voted to keep Flock cameras, now calls for shutting them off

San Diego City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn called Tuesday, Oct. 13, for the city to turn off its Flock automated license plate reader cameras, cancel the contract and put the savings toward faster emergency response.

Whitburn, whose District 3 includes downtown and Balboa Park, had repeatedly voted to keep the cameras, including in a 5-3 vote last December and in June, when the council left the roughly $2 million contract in place. He said fear in immigrant communities and reports of expanded federal immigration enforcement in San Diego changed his view.

Police Chief Scott Wahl said the cameras have helped solve more than 900 cases and that SDPD has never shared plate data for immigration enforcement. Mayor Todd Gloria, who supports the program, credited it with helping in nearly 900 investigations and recovering more than $8.7 million in stolen property.

Voice of San Diego reports Whitburn's change could create a council majority to end the contract, though the mayor can veto and six votes would be needed to override. The annual surveillance report is due at the council's public safety committee in mid-November. The ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties sued the city over the cameras on Sept. 30.