CCPD to Hold Community Meeting on Automated License Plate Surveillance

How many residents of Culver City have ranted against the red-light cameras? It’s a very expensive ticket that is served by a private company. Tracking your license plate anywhere in town could create even more challenging issues. 

Thursday, March 30th, 2023, at 6:30 PM, the Culver City Police Department will hold an information meeting about the proposed city-wide Automated License Plate Readers. The meeting will be at City Hall, in the Mike Balkman Council Chambers. 

The CCPD had originally asked for this technology in March of 2018, but it was deemed an unneeded expense and too intrusive on community rights. At that time, the department was given permission for the technology for a drone pilot study; drones are currently in use by the CCPD with specific restrictions. 

A recent report from the American Civil Liberties Union considered the danger of a “public-private surveillance” database that can be used to target people for extra-legal purposes. “Unfortunately, this country has a long tradition, extending up to the present, of law enforcement targeting people not because they’re suspected of criminal activity but because of their political or religious beliefs or race. That includes quasi-private surveillance.”

According to the ACLU, “more than 80 local law enforcement agencies share their license plate data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “What this new surveillance system could do to our downtown restaurant businesses, or the ability to access a ride service like Lyft, could make current economic challenges insurmountable. The loss of gardening contractors, janitorial services, and child care providers won’t show up as official data – but if people providing those services feel that they are putting themselves at risk doing business in Culver City, the cost of hiring help might make the red light ticket look much smaller.

Persons unable to attend in person will have the option to attend virtually via Webex. The Webex link will be available on the Culver City Police Department’s website www.culvercitypd.org under “Events” on March 28th, 2023.

Judith Martin-Straw

 

The Actors' Gang