Letters from the Public - 1 of 2 — Joint Meeting for the Rules and Open Government Committee and Committee of the Whole, September 30, 2026

September 30, 2026
Mayor Mahan
Vice Mayor Foley
Councilmembers
City Manager Jennifer Maguire
Police Chief Paul Joseph
City of San José
200 E. Santa Clara St. San José, CA 95113
Sent via electronic mail
Re: Rules and Open Government Committee Item C.2 on Internal Controls for Automatic License Plate Readers and Item C.3 on Automated License Plate Reader Data Access and Safeguards
Dear City Council Mayor Mahan, Vice Mayor Foley, and Members of the City Council, We, the undersigned organizations, are deeply disturbed by the egregious breach of public trust and data violations committed by the San José Police Department. In February 2025, one of our sworn police officers used his personal phone to abuse the data collected by Flock cameras and track the location of a domestic violence survivor allegedly harmed by the officer’s cousin. More than a year later, the officer was ultimately fired in April 2026. However, the public and City Council were not informed of this until September 2026, months after the City imposed new ALPR policy regulations and a requirement of an unauthorized disclosure plan. This horrible incident happened in the midst of community organizing against mass surveillance and SJPD’s frequent, public assurances of our ALPR system’s data security.

This breach of trust and appropriate processes by SJPD directly illustrates two of our biggest concerns. First, even with some of the highest standards in the country, one of our officers made the decision to abuse his access to the City’s massive trove of ALPR data. SJPD repeatedly assured the people of San José and the City Council that they had secure protocols in place to protect these systems against abuse. Yet, the officer’s violation of these same protocols proves otherwise. This reaffirms the people’s concerns: mass surveillance is not public safety and endangers everyone in our community. The City’s reliance on these cameras creates new threats, and there is no amount of safeguards that can eliminate the possibility of abuse.

Equally concerning is the failure of SJPD to promptly disclose what happened. This egregious violation occurred over a year and a half ago and the officer was fired this past April, yet we had no report of this until this month. SJPD was insistent that it could govern its own use and that we could trust them with this dangerous tool. The department publicly asserted this to us and the Council even as the Department was investigating one of its own. This incident serves as a stark reminder that there must be outside oversight and accountability. SJPD failed to be transparent and showed that it cannot police itself with these tools of mass surveillance.

Our demand to shut down the ALPRs and cancel the Flock contract has not changed. The severity of this violation calls for strong action to rebuild trust, transparency, and accountability:

1. The City must cancel its Flock contract;

2. The City must immediately cover all Flock cameras and suspend the ALPR system until the City Auditor, in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA), can conduct a complete audit that will be publicly reported upon its completion;

3. The City Auditor and IPA, as informed by the community in public forums, must define the audit requirements and methodology;

4. The City Manager and City Attorney, informed by community input, must define unauthorized uses, associated penalties, and opportunities for victims to sue for any damages as a result of technology abuse;

5. The City must provide community organizations and community members the ability to provide input and feedback throughout the process.

Both Council memoranda recognize that more controls and accountability are needed. However, given this breach of public trust already occurred —with an unacceptable lack of transparency by SJPD—these proposals are far from sufficient.

I. Audit Requirements
Without a thorough audit of the SJPD’s ALPR system that will detail its gaps and flaws, the City Council cannot reasonably implement effective protections and policies. We must refuse to continue using this mass surveillance system unless and until the Council, the City Auditor, the IPA, and the SJPD can truly understand the full extent of the system’s problems. Only then, once the City is equipped with the necessary knowledge, can the City decide whether it will allow continued mass surveillance and, if so, under what specific policies and oversight regimes. 2 Given these violations, the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights. Thus, we recommend that an agency, independent of the police department and built within the City’s current infrastructure, to conduct frequent, public audits.

Neighboring jurisdictions, such as Palo Alto City Council and Woodside Town Council (September 8, 2026 Town Council Meeting, pgs. 210-223), have called for independent audits to ensure compliance, transparency, and accountability, and these examples can serve as helpful starting resources for the City Staff. We support Councilmember Tordillos, Kamei, Cohen, and Mulcahy’s initial direction for an independent audit, and we hope the Council will center community input.

Specifically, we recommend that the City Auditor, in consultation with the IPA and the community, perform quarterly audits and share the findings in public reports, and define requirements and methodology with these departments and community stakeholders, which would demonstrate a good-faith effort to rebuild public trust.

II. Unauthorized Disclosure Plan
In March 2026, the community successfully mobilized the Council to adopt an unauthorized disclosure plan, which led to the requirement of SJPD to immediately report any unauthorized access to the City Council. This protocol is further reiterated in the recent memo proposed by Mayor Mahan, Vice Mayor Foley, and Councilmembers Casey and Candelas. We appreciate the councilmembers’ unified agreement in establishing an unauthorized disclosure plan. However, recognizing that SJPD failed to follow proper procedures that were passed months ago, we urge the Council to do more.

Following the leadership of Mountain View City Council and Santa Clara County, we recommend this addition to the proposed memoranda’s unauthorized disclosure plans: If there is any unauthorized disclosure of ALPR data, SJPD must immediately turn off the cameras and report any unauthorized disclosure to the City Council. The ALPR Data Usage Protocol must be agendized for reconsideration at the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting following the discovery and report of the unauthorized disclosure, giving the public and the Council the opportunity to take action.

III. Limitations on Access
This breach of trust is massive, and we cannot allow this system to proceed status quo. We should temporarily halt access to ALPR data until the audit can be completed. If the Council is 3 not willing to halt access to ALPR data, then it should, at the very least, narrow significantly when ALPR data can be accessed.

To avoid any uncertainty and to abide by court rulings of our constitutional right to privacy in public spaces (see U.S. Supreme Court Cases Carpenter v. US (2018) and US v. Jones (2012)), we must require a valid judicial warrant to all data searches, which is a standard, rational 4th Amendment protection to our reasonable expectation of privacy. The ALPR data has been abused to hunt historically marginalized communities who are exercising their constitutional rights, and this legal requirement can ensure our rights to privacy are upheld. This requirement can further streamline the system by ensuring that any justification and case number are supported by evidence and legal compliance, instead of the current default of mass warrantless tracking of everyone regardless of whether they are suspected of a crime.

While we appreciate the data retention period being reduced from one year to 30 days, we strongly recommend that the SJPD delete all data that does not match a hotlist within a few minutes. A valid judicial warrant must be required for when the Police Department has an interest in retaining specific data longer than this initial retention period.

In the recent Rohnert Park meeting, their chief conceded that it's exceptionally rare for even 30 days to be useful, as it is more effective at the precise moment of collection. New Hampshire state law requires law enforcement to delete non-hit Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) data within 3 minutes. This law has been in effect for nearly 10 years, proving that such a legal requirement can exist in an operating system and without it having a detrimental effect on police investigations. It is poor practice to make broad policies based on a few statistically unlikely cases. It does not make sense to retain billions of plate scans per month, when only a fraction may be potentially valuable. We cannot sacrifice the constitutional rights of everyone for this dangerous illusion of public safety, especially when the reality has proven that mass surveillance endangers our community members.

IV. Accountability and Timeline
One of the most concerning issues of this violation is the lack of public transparency and accountability to the City’s protocols. The SJPD took more than a year to terminate the officer and sat on this information for months thereafter without prompt notification to the Council, per the policies passed in March 2026. To our understanding, the Council and the public learned of this report at approximately the same time: when the Mercury News article dropped on September 11, 2026.
4 There have been no consequences to the SJPD for failing to disclose this abuse of the invasive ALPR system on a reasonable timeframe. We appreciate the initial steps of the memoranda, but they do not address the accountability and enforcement issues that occurred. Without a proper timeline or accountability measure, the Council is fated to repeat the same mistake months ago - passing a helpful policy on paper that is not enforceable in practice. In the meantime, due to this implementation failure, the City’s Flock system has captured and accessed millions of data points on the personal lives of our community members, ultimately endangering the safety and privacy of everyone.

Conclusion
We cannot accept the false premise that mass surveillance brings safety when the reality is that it creates new threats to privacy, civil liberties, and community trust. Overwhelming evidence shows that local agencies across the country and Flock have grossly mishandled our ALPR data by sharing it with ICE, racially profiling Black and Brown communities, stalking religious minorities, targeting people seeking reproductive and gender affirming care, and harassing individuals exercising their First Amendment rights to protest. Mass surveillance does not keep our public safe, but endangers all our residents and visitors to our beloved San José.

Real public safety comes from investing in people, strengthening communities, and protecting the rights and dignity of all residents. It does not come from the installation of hundreds of AI-powered cameras that track the movements of anyone and everyone who travels through its view, regardless of whether they are suspected of a crime. To truly eliminate the possibility of abuse, we must turn off the cameras and cancel the contract.

Sincerely,
Safety Over Surveillance Santa Clara County Coalition
Race Equity Action Leadership (REAL) Coalition
Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN) Immigrant Protection & Empowerment Network (IPEN)
Secure Justice
Amigos de Guadalupe Center for Justice and Empowerment
Working Partnerships USA
Sacred Heart Community Service
Defensoras Patient Organizing Committee
Asian Law Alliance
Fresh Lifelines for Youth
5 Bay Resistance Silicon Valley
SURJ Santa Clara County
50501 San Jose
San Jose Peace & Justice Center
Silicon Valley Democratic Socialists of America
Indivisible Palo Alto Plus
San Jose Against War
Food not Bombs San Jose
Raging Grannies Action League
Peoples Aid Santa Cruz
The Wolves
Los Altos for Representation and Equity
Orchard City Indivisible
Hero Tent
Youth Alliance
6 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. partners. A San Francisco cop was investigated for using Flock license plate reader data to track wife’s stolen car. This recent San Jose flagrant violation is another example to the mountain of evidence that proves what the people have been saying for years: mass surveillance is not public safety. Despite San Jose’s guardrails, we have an officer who abused his access to data collected by Flock cameras to put a survivor of domestic violence in danger, using his personal phone to access our private data without a warrant for his own personal reasons that perpetuate the cycle of domestic violence abuse. We cannot accept the false premise that mass surveillance brings safety when the reality is that it creates new threats to privacy, civil liberties, and community trust.

Best Regards
Sultana Begum
San Jose
CA 95148
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Location: 3030 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose, CA 95127
Violation Scope: Active surveillance cameras are tracking the street coordinates immediately serving this comprehensive family health and prenatal/women's health facility, placing it within the restricted zone for patient privacy protections under the city's mandate. [1, 2] RealOptions Obria Medical Clinic (East San Jose Pro-Life / Crisis Pregnancy Center) Location: 12 N White Rd #1, San Jose, CA 95127
Violation Scope: Active camera dragnet coverage spans the immediate thoroughfare servicing this reproductive options clinic near the Alum Rock intersection, violating the strict geographic prohibitions meant to protect the privacy of individuals seeking sensitive reproductive healthcare consultations.

2. PLACES OF WORSHIP VIOLATIONS:

Node ID: 13329564301
Coordinates: 37.3690576, -121.8224834
Affected Places of Worship: Saint John Vianney Catholic Church (4600 Hyland Ave) and Logos Christian Fellowship Church (4705 Alum Rock Ave).

Installation Scope: This is a public multi-camera surveillance system logging degree configurations 338-23, 265-310, and 113-158, establishing complete multi-directional tracking on residential entrance roads immediately flanking both religious institutions.

Despite the city’s strict buffer zone mandate passed earlier this year, the San Jose Police Department has failed to audit, move, or power down these specific nodes. Please include these intersections and database markers in your active surveillance transparency audits and legal challenges against the city's current contract.

I would appreciate phone or email contact so that I know this email was received and acknowledged. A copy of this email was previously sent to Mr. Ortiz and Jennifer Maguire on Aug 13, 2026 but I did not receive any return correspondence.

Let me know if I can assist further with this. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely, a concerned citizen
Kathy Shanahan cell:
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I have filed a public records request (R014541-092426) covering the Flock contract, retention policy, audits, and related records, due back around Oct. 5. I plan to submit written comment and speak at Wednesday's hearing.

Thank you for your service.

Bill Coderre
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councilmembers to implement basic security measures, such as prohibiting access to the system on a personal device. However, the invasive privacy violations of mass surveillance cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:
- The City of San José moves to cancel the contract with Flock per the contract’s termination for convenience clause;
If the Council still believes in this flawed system of mass surveillance, all Flock cameras must be covered immediately, and the entire ALPR system be suspended immediately until a complete and thorough audit is conducted by the City Auditor in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA);
The City Auditor must define audit requirements and methodology in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA), and with the community in public forums that offer opportunities for meaningful and collaborative public engagement; Unauthorized uses, access, and disclosure must be clearly defined by the City Manager and City Attorney, with provisions for civil and criminal penalties for the officers and the ability for any victims to sue for damages as a result of technology abuse.

Without a thorough audit of the SJPD’s ALPR system that will detail its gaps and flaws, the City Council cannot reasonably implement effective protections and policies. We must refuse to continue using the mass surveillance system until and unless the Council, the City Auditor, the IPA, and the SJPD truly understand the problems. At every juncture, community organizations and community members must have the ability to provide input and feedback.

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
9/29/26, 10:00 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Tim MacKenzie
Mountain View, California 94304
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cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José surrounding community, I demand that:

The City of San José moves to cancel the contract with Flock per the contract’s termination for convenience clause;
- If the Council still believes in this flawed system of mass surveillance, all Flock cameras must be covered immediately, and the entire ALPR system be suspended immediately until a complete and thorough audit is conducted by the City Auditor in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA);
- The City Auditor must define audit requirements and methodology in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA), and with the community in public forums that offer opportunities for meaningful and collaborative public engagement; - Unauthorized uses, access, and disclosure must be clearly defined by the City Manager and City Attorney, with provisions for civil and criminal penalties for the officers and the ability for any victims to sue for damages as a result of technology abuse.

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
KBT
Karen Burkey
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Mountain View , California 94043
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public of this unauthorized abuse of Flock data, while also publicly praising their ALPR system’s data security.

While the officer was fired, it is unclear what specific allegations were sustained against him, and there have been no other meaningful consequences or accountability for this massive violation of our community's trust and safety. I recognize the initial efforts by councilmembers to implement basic security measures, such as prohibiting access to the system on a personal device. However, the invasive privacy violations of mass surveillance cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:
- The City of San José moves to cancel the contract with Flock per the contract’s termination for convenience clause;
If the Council still believes in this flawed system of mass surveillance, all Flock cameras must be covered immediately, and the entire ALPR system be suspended immediately until a complete and thorough audit is conducted by the City Auditor in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA);
The City Auditor must define audit requirements and methodology in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA), and with the community in public forums that offer opportunities for meaningful and collaborative public engagement; - Unauthorized uses, access, and disclosure must be clearly defined by the City Manager and City Attorney, with provisions for civil and criminal penalties for the officers and the ability for any victims to sue for damages as a result of technology abuse.

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
9/29/26, 10:01 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Andrew Siegler
San Jose, California 95112
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This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

I do not believe that these cameras are worth the harm they cause, and based on the series of incidents regarding these cameras, I do not believe they are essential tools to use in San Jose, contrary to what the Police Chief claims. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:

The City of San José moves to end the contract with Flock per the contract’s termination for convenience clause;
- The entire ALPR system be suspended immediately until a complete and thorough audit is conducted by the City Auditor in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA); The City Auditor must define audit requirements and methodology in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA), and with the community in public forums that offer opportunities for meaningful and collaborative public engagement; Unauthorized uses, access, and disclosure must be clearly defined by the City Manager and City Attorney, with provisions for civil and criminal penalties for the officers and the ability for any victims to sue for damages as a result of technology abuse. We need to do more than simply fire officers who abuse these cameras.

Until a thorough audit of the SJPD’s ALPR system that highlights their flaws is conducted, we cannot make protections and policies for the cameras. We as San Jose citizens also cannot reasonably claim that these cameras are essential tools when we haven’t even fully investigated its uses, issues, and ramifications.

We also do not accept the lack of transparency on the Police Department’s end. According to the timeline (which is publicly available), the officer who was abusing the cameras was reported AFTER the SJPD Chief told us the cameras were completely safe. This is was a bold-faced lie, as we now know. His claim that “the impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” while also saying he recognized “the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras,” shows he does not take our concerns seriously despite already facing the fallout of unchecked use of the cameras.

Mass surveillance does not keep us safe and is a violation of the Fourth Amendment. Until a full audit is conducted, the cameras should be covered up.

Thank you,
Emily Tran
Emily Tran
San Jose, California 95111
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cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Maria Peterson
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MARIA PETERSON
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system on a personal device. However, the invasive privacy violations of mass surveillance cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:
- The City of San José moves to cancel the contract with Flock per the contract’s termination for convenience clause;
If the Council still believes in this flawed system of mass surveillance, all Flock cameras must be covered immediately, and the entire ALPR system be suspended immediately until a complete and thorough audit is conducted by the City Auditor in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA);
The City Auditor must define audit requirements and methodology in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA), and with the community in public forums that offer opportunities for meaningful and collaborative public engagement; - Unauthorized uses, access, and disclosure must be clearly defined by the City Manager and City Attorney, with provisions for civil and criminal penalties for the officers and the ability for any victims to sue for damages as a result of technology abuse.

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
9/29/26, 10:04 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Anne Caughell
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San Lorenzo, California 94580
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cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Kiran Palla
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San Jose, California 95148
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This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Leslie Zeiger
San Jose, California 95126
9/29/26, 10:06 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Hannah Leonard
9/29/26, 10:06 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Los Gatos, California 95030 4304
9/29/26, 10:06 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 3/3

cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Natalie Dean
9/29/26, 10:07 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Santa Cruz , California 95062
9/29/26, 10:07 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 3/3

cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:
- The City of San José moves to cancel the contract with Flock per the contract’s termination for convenience clause;
If the Council still believes in this flawed system of mass surveillance, all Flock cameras must be covered immediately, and the entire ALPR system be suspended immediately until a complete and thorough audit is conducted by the City Auditor in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA);
The City Auditor must define audit requirements and methodology in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA), and with the community in public forums that offer opportunities for meaningful and collaborative public engagement; Unauthorized uses, access, and disclosure must be clearly defined by the City Manager and City Attorney, with provisions for civil and criminal penalties for the officers and the ability for any victims to sue for damages as a result of technology abuse.

Thank you,
Derek Jensen
FELTON, California 95062
9/29/26, 10:07 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

This type of abuse is completely unacceptable. Mass surveillance does not keep us safe. It endangers our community, especially the most vulnerable. To rebuild public trust, I implore you to include these demands and bring real accountability to SJPD. Protect the people of San José and surrounding communities from any further misuse. Cover the cameras until a complete audit can be done.
9/29/26, 10:08 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Thank you,
Mena K.

Mena Kuchi
Oakland, California 94605
9/29/26, 10:08 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 3/3

sustained against him. Firing one officer doesn't fix a system that let this happen and then kept it quiet. SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on this technology.

I live in Mountain View. I shop, do contract work, perform, and get healthcare in San José.

Every time I drive in, my plate goes into your system. So do my trips to my doctors. So do the trips of thousands of people like me who never agreed to be tracked. This is not only San José's problem. It's the whole region's.

I recognize the Council's early steps, including banning access from personal devices. They are not enough. I urge you to:

1. Cancel the Flock contract.

2. If the Council keeps the system, cover every Flock camera and suspend the ALPR program now, until the City Auditor completes a full audit in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor.

3. Have the City Auditor set the audit's scope and methods with the IPA and with the community, in public forums that allow real input.

4. Direct the City Manager and City Attorney to clearly define unauthorized use, access, and disclosure, with civil and criminal penalties for officers and the right for victims to sue for damages.

You cannot write effective policy for a system you don't fully understand. Audit first.

Community input at every step.

This case is not an outlier. Across the country, ALPR data has been shared with federal immigration authorities, used to track people seeking reproductive and gender-affirming care, and used by officers to stalk partners and exes. Every one of those abuses starts the same way: data collected on everyone, trusted to a few.

Mass surveillance is not public safety. It creates new threats, and the most vulnerable pay first. Real safety comes from meeting people's basic needs: affordable housing, healthcare, and education.

Local governments are the last line of defense for residents' privacy. You have the power to protect San José and the neighbors who pass through it every day. Cover the cameras.

Audit the system. Hold SJPD accountable.

Thank you.

Melissa Dinwiddie
Founder and President, Indivisible Palo Alto Plus
Mountain View, CA
Melissa Dinwiddie
Mountain View , California 94043
9/29/26, 10:08 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Lisa Biesemeyer
San José Resident, Parent, and Educator
9/29/26, 10:09 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Lisa Biesemeyer
l
San Jose, California 95123
9/29/26, 10:09 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 3/3

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Lenore Delgado
9/29/26, 10:09 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Palo Alto, California 94306
9/29/26, 10:09 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 3/3

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. a complete and thorough audit is conducted by the City Auditor in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA);
- The City Auditor must define audit requirements and methodology in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA), and with the community in public forums that offer opportunities for meaningful and collaborative public engagement; - Unauthorized uses, access, and disclosure must be clearly defined by the City Manager and City Attorney, with provisions for civil and criminal penalties for the officers and the ability for any victims to sue for damages as a result of technology abuse.

Protect the people of San José and surrounding communities from any further misuse.

Cancel the ALPR contracts and cover the cameras until they can be removed or at minimum until a complete audit can be done.

Thank you,
Emma Hartung
San Jose, California 95128
9/29/26, 10:10 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/2

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Linda Reis
San jose, California Ca
9/29/26, 10:11 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Tatyana Foltz
9/29/26, 10:12 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

San Jose, CA, California 95124
9/29/26, 10:12 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 3/3

Thank you
Frigyes Erdosi Szucs
San Jose, California 95129
9/29/26, 10:12 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

Thank you,
Ellen Baker
San Jose, California 95125
9/29/26, 10:13 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Citlali Martinez
San Jose, California 95116
9/29/26, 10:13 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Marjorie Siegel
San Jose, California 95135
9/29/26, 10:14 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. and City Attorney, with provisions for civil and criminal penalties for the officers and the ability for any victims to sue for damages as a result of technology abuse.

Thank you,
Carlie Pietsch
Carlie Pietsch
San Jose, California 95192
9/29/26, 10:14 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/2

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Richard Reis
San Jose, California 95125
9/29/26, 10:14 AM Inbox - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

around the corner from my home that I pass every day. On the short drive taking my kids to and from school, I pass several more.

Knowing that our ordinary movements are being recorded and stored in a searchable system changes how I experience my own neighborhood. I don’t think San José residents should have to wonder whether the routine details of their daily lives are being tracked simply because they chose to drive somewhere.

When I spoke at City Hall earlier this year, these were the concerns I was raising. At the time, the risks of misuse were deeply troubling, but they were still largely hypothetical to many people.

We now know they are not hypothetical.

Since I last spoke out, we have seen reports of Flock systems being misused by law enforcement officers in communities across the country. And now we know that this can happen here.

We recently learned that an SJPD officer improperly used Flock to track the location of a domestic violence victim and shared that information with the alleged abuser. According to the Police Chief, the officer used a personal device to conduct unauthorized searches and was later terminated.

A surveillance system capable of providing someone’s location can become a tool for harm when it is misused -- even by a single person. That is why I don’t believe we can rely solely on internal policies or assurances that the system will be used responsibly.

I am also increasingly concerned about where this technology is headed. When I spoke at City Hall earlier this year, I raised concerns about Flock becoming part of a broader surveillance ecosystem and how difficult it would be to scale back once that infrastructure was in place. Those concerns are becoming less hypothetical.

A recent investigation by 404 Media found that surveillance company VIDIZMO is marketing technology to law enforcement that would allow Flock data to be brought into a platform with facial recognition and other AI analysis, including searches by face, vehicle, or object. Flock says it does not currently use facial recognition, but the fact that third party companies are already working to connect these capabilities to Flock data illustrates how quickly the technology surrounding these systems will expand.

San José is the Capital of Silicon Valley. We should absolutely be a city that embraces innovation, but innovation should strengthen our communities and protect the people who live here. Once surveillance infrastructure like this is built and normalized, it becomes incredibly difficult to scale back.

I am asking the City Council to:

Cancel the contract with Flock under the contract’s termination for convenience clause; Immediately cover all Flock cameras and suspend the entire ALPR system until a complete and thorough audit is conducted by the City Auditor in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA);
Have the City Auditor define the audit requirements and methodology in consultation with the IPA and the community through meaningful public engagement; and - Clearly define unauthorized uses, access, and disclosure, with meaningful civil and 9/30/26, 10:36 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. criminal consequences for officers who misuse the technology and the ability for victims to seek damages resulting from that abuse.

We should not wait for another person to be harmed before taking these concerns seriously. The recent misuse of the system demonstrates that safeguards alone cannot eliminate the risk of abuse.

Please cover the cameras, conduct an independent audit, and cancel the Flock contract.

San José can lead in technology while also leading in privacy, accountability, and respect for the people who call this city home.

Thank you for listening and for taking these concerns seriously.

Stacy Melillo
San Jose, California 95118
9/30/26, 10:36 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 3/3

While the officer was fired, it is unclear what specific allegations were sustained against him, and there have been no other meaningful consequences or accountability for this massive violation of our community's trust and safety. I recognize the initial efforts by councilmembers to implement basic security measures, such as prohibiting access to the system on a personal device. However, the invasive privacy violations of mass surveillance cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor.’ The Council must do more! As a member of the San José community, I demand that:
- The City of San José moves to cancel the contract with Flock per the contract’s termination for convenience clause;
If the Council still believes in this flawed system of mass surveillance, all Flock cameras must be covered immediately, and the entire ALPR system be suspended immediately until a complete and thorough audit is conducted by the City Auditor in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA);
The City Auditor must define audit requirements and methodology in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA), and with the community in public forums that offer opportunities for meaningful and collaborative public engagement; - Unauthorized uses, access, and disclosure must be clearly defined by the City Manager and City Attorney, with provisions for civil and criminal penalties for the officers and the ability for any victims to sue for damages as a result of technology abuse.

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

This type of abuse is completely unacceptable. Mass surveillance does not keep us safe. It endangers our community, especially the most vulnerable. To rebuild public trust, I implore you to include these demands and bring real accountability to SJPD. Protect the people of San José and surrounding communities from any further misuse. Cover the cameras until a complete audit can be done.
9/30/26, 10:36 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

a complete and thorough audit is conducted by the City Auditor in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA);
- The City Auditor must define audit requirements and methodology in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA), and with the community in public forums that offer opportunities for meaningful and collaborative public engagement; - Unauthorized uses, access, and disclosure must be clearly defined by the City Manager and City Attorney, with provisions for civil and criminal penalties for the officers and the ability for any victims to sue for damages as a result of technology abuse.

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Maria Maria Moreno
San Francisco, California 94110
9/30/26, 10:37 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Instances of police misuse are rampant in the news today. The FBI has an RFQ out for any nationwide vendor who will give them access to their database.

At the end of the day, mass surveillance always does more harm than good. The temptation to misuse it is too strong for individuals or institutions to resist. The result is that our city becomes less safe, not more safe -- especially our most vulnerable.

Making such a powerful system impervious to misuse is impossible. But the City has a responsibility to its residents to do them no harm. Therefore, if you can't protect, don't collect.

Flock must be fired immediately. The City should not replace it with any mass surveillance.

If it chooses to, it must only select a system that it can guarantee is safe, and it must make itself responsible and liable for that safety.

Thank you for listening,
Brian Jones
Brian Jones
Los Altos, California 94024
9/30/26, 10:43 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/2

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

This type of abuse is completely unacceptable. Mass surveillance does not keep us safe. It endangers our community, especially the most vulnerable. To rebuild public trust, I implore you to include these demands and bring real accountability to SJPD. Protect the people of San José and surrounding communities from any further misuse. Cover the cameras until a complete audit can be done.
9/30/26, 10:46 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. . Mass surveillance does not keep us safe. It endangers our community, especially the most vulnerable.

Protect the people of San José and surrounding communities from any further misuse. End the FLOCK contract or at least covet the cameras until a complete audit can be done.

Thank you,
Rebecca Elliot
San Jose, California 95125
9/30/26, 10:46 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/2

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. survivor, and the SJPD delayed addressing this publicly for over a year. While the officer was terminated, there has been no broader accountability for this violation.

Human nature makes this misuse predictable; police departments cannot self-police their use of AI-driven mass surveillance tools.

An Independent Audit is Necessary.

Without a thorough audit detailing the system's gaps and flaws, the City Council cannot implement effective protections. It is unacceptable to continue using a mass surveillance system until the Council, the City Auditor, the IPA, and the public fully understand these issues.

Community organizations and residents must have continuous opportunities to provide input.

Safety Over Surveillance.

Our communities deserve freedom of movement and privacy without fear of how location data will be used or shared. Evidence nationwide shows that ALPR vendors and local agencies have mishandled data by sharing information with ICE, profiling minority communities, and targeting individuals seeking reproductive healthcare or exercising First Amendment rights. Real safety comes from investing in affordable housing, healthcare, and education—not mass surveillance.

Local Government as the Last Line of Defense:

San José leaders have the power and responsibility to protect residents' rights. Federal agencies and bad actors use local ALPR systems in ways that jeopardize our most vulnerable neighbors. Countless examples show that these systems create new threats to civil liberties and public trust rather than providing safety.

I urge the Rules Committee to end mass surveillance in San José now.

Sincerely,
Cybele LoVuolo-Bhushan
9/30/26, 10:38 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/2

This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. deserve full transparency and protection. In my opinion, we should move away from an authoritarian sytem of permanent surveillance.

Thank you,
Mónica Teicher
9/30/26, 10:39 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/2

In other places that use these there are numerous other stories of misuse and errors with these cameras. Women who were stalked and harassed by officers, people confronted at gun point driving their own cars - because the records weren't updated with the return and still showed as stolen. The Florida woman who spent 13 days in jail because Flock said her car was near a fatal crash.

This shows that just attempting to regulate these cameras is not enough. They really should be removed.

Councilmembers have tried to implement basic security measures, such as prohibiting access to the system on a personal device. However, the invasive privacy violations of mass surveillance cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ If the data is collected there will always be more people abusively accessing that data.

The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which 9/30/26, 10:40 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Annelise Bazar
San Jose, California 95110
9/30/26, 10:40 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 3/3

Thank you,
9/30/26, 10:41 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

Chief Joseph also said at that meeting, "our audits have shown that our license plate reader data has not gone anywhere it isn't supposed to go."
Recent reporting about the now-fired officer who abused the system makes plain that he was incorrect, and, given that the investigation into this behavior started nearly a year before the meeting took place, that the chief should have known he was incorrect. Clearly, the current system of audits and oversight is insufficient. The city would not continue to use an ambulance that intermittently ran people over while it studied the problem.

Nor should it continue to use its ALPR cameras now. Cover the cameras; work with the IPA to do an independent, transparent, and thorough audit of who has searched the database; and terminate the contract with Flock. The memoranda under consideration at the September 30 ROGC meeting, items C.2 and C.3, do not suffice to address the problem at hand, though C.3 at least has the advantage over C.2 of exploring independent audits. They fail to provide teeth to unauthorized disclosure plans; they do not go far enough to limit data access and retention; and they do not ensure public accountability for what has already been reported or for what we may uncover in the future.

Sincerely yours,
Robert Au
Santa Clara, California
This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.
9/30/26, 10:41 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/2

must be covered immediately, and the entire ALPR system be suspended immediately until a complete and thorough audit is conducted by the City Auditor in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA);
The City Auditor must define audit requirements and methodology in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA), and with the community in public forums that offer opportunities for meaningful and collaborative public engagement; - Unauthorized uses, access, and disclosure must be clearly defined by the City Manager and City Attorney, with provisions for civil and criminal penalties for the officers and the ability for any victims to sue for damages as a result of technology abuse.

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

This is antithetical to government transparency and accountability. By not revealing this incident for over a year, SJPD has further eroded public trust at a time in which trust un government is at its lowest in decades. SJPD has at its disposal a powerful suite of mass surveillance tools that can reconstruct people's movements and patterns of their daily lives and have high potential for abuse. These tools are too powerful and too easy to abuse. We must enact a moratorium on all ALPR cameras, not just those that fall under the umbrella of Flock Safety in order to begin to rebuild public trust.

As a resident of Santa Clara County and someone who frequents San Jose, this is deeply disturbing to me. How can I ever trust SJPD, or the city's government, to be responsible for the lives and data of those in and around San Jose.
9/30/26, 10:42 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Thank you,
Jay Ess
Santa Clara , California 95051
9/30/26, 10:42 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 3/3

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Hansel Aguilar
Santa Clara, California 95051
9/30/26, 10:43 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

endangers everyone in our community. The City’s reliance on these cameras creates new threats, and there is no amount of safeguards that can eliminate the possibility of abuse.

Our demand to shut down the ALPRs and cancel the Flock contract has not changed. The severity of this violation calls for strong action to rebuild trust, transparency, and accountability:

1. The City must cancel its Flock contract;

3. The City Auditor and IPA, as informed by the community in public forums, must define the audit requirements and methodology;

5. The City must provide community organizations and community members the ability to provide input and feedback throughout the process.

Sincerely,
Safety Over Surveillance Santa Clara County Coalition
Race Equity Action Leadership (REAL) Coalition
Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network (SIREN) Secure Justice
Amigos de Guadalupe Center for Justice and Empowerment
Working Partnerships USA
Sacred Heart Community Service
Latinas Contra Cancer Defensoras Patient Organizing Committee Asian Law Alliance
Fresh Lifelines for Youth
Bay Resistance Silicon Valley
5 SURJ Santa Clara County
50501 San Jose
San Jose Peace & Justice Center
Silicon Valley Democratic Socialists of America
Indivisible Palo Alto Plus
San Jose Against War
Food not Bombs San Jose
Raging Grannies Action League
Peoples Aid Santa Cruz
The Wolves
Los Altos for Representation and Equity
Orchard City Indivisible
Hero Tent
Youth Alliance
6 The City's own Flock transparency portal has reported approximately three million vehicle detections during a single 30-day period. Deleting that information after 30 days simply means that one massive searchable dataset is continuously replaced by another.

I also do not accept “sensitive location” protections as an answer to this problem.

People do not teleport into a doctor's office, attorney's office, religious institution, political meeting, or other sensitive location. A vehicle can be recorded approaching the area, leaving it, or traveling nearby. Protecting a limited list of locations does not eliminate the surrounding surveillance network.

I also want the Committee to understand why assurances about transparency have not reassured me.

I previously stated that the City's ALPR transparency portal was missing. I subsequently located it, and I want to correct that statement on the record.

The portal exists.

But its existence raises another question: does the City really consider this meaningful transparency?
The portal provides aggregate statistics and examples of instances in which the City or Flock says ALPR contributed to an investigation. That is useful information, but it is not the same thing as meaningful public access to the underlying operation of the system.

I know this personally because I submitted a California Public Records Act request seeking ALPR records pertaining specifically to my own vehicle.

SJPD denied that request and instead pointed toward aggregate information. I have asked the Department to reconsider that decision.

So the City can collect records about where my vehicle has been observed, search those records, and publish aggregate statistics about the system — but when I ask what information the system contains about my own vehicle, I cannot simply inspect it.

That is a serious transparency problem.

I also remain deeply concerned about mission creep.

ALPRs have been defended publicly as tools for serious crimes and stolen vehicles. Yet we have subsequently seen discussion of using this infrastructure for illegal-dumping enforcement and broader City purposes. At the same time, San José has been pursuing integration of public cameras, private cameras, retail cameras, and potentially hundreds of cameras from a major shopping mall into the Real Time Intelligence Center.

Once the infrastructure exists, every additional use becomes easier to justify.

That is exactly why I do not believe these discussions should be confined to better internal controls.

The threshold question must remain:

Should this surveillance system exist at this scale at all? 9/30/26, 11:17 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

Residents were never given a citywide vote on that question.

The original Flock contract entered the Council process as a consent-calendar procurement item. The original procurement process did not meaningfully treat privacy or mass-surveillance potential as a fundamental criterion. Since then, the system has expanded and the safeguards have largely been discussed after the fact.

On March 10, 2026, when Council considered the ALPR policy changes and reduced retention from 365 days to 30 days, my review of the written public correspondence submitted on that item found approximately a 60/40 split against continuing Flock. That was not a scientific poll, but it was a substantial body of public correspondence and should not be dismissed as though opposition to this program is marginal.

I have a busy life. I should not need to maintain an automated watch for City agendas, read attachments and procurement records, attend repeated office hours, and continually monitor City government just to discover the next expansion of the systems being used to monitor residents.

Yet that is what I have found myself doing.

These are not concerns that came from Washington or from a national political debate. My opposition has been driven by decisions made here in San José.

The City's own actions have made me considerably more distrustful of these systems and more determined to scrutinize them.

So while I support stronger accountability when misuse occurs, I ask that Councilmembers not mistake stronger controls for resolution of the underlying issue.

Many residents are not merely asking the City to operate mass surveillance more carefully. We are questioning why the mass surveillance exists at all.

Before San José expands ALPRs, integrates additional private cameras, adds new data sources, or develops another set of safeguards around an ever-larger system, residents deserve a direct and public debate over that fundamental question.

Thank you for including this comment in the record for ROGC 26-349 and ROGC 26-345.

Rick Kustra
9/30/26, 11:17 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 3/3

cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Kelly McAuley
9/30/26, 11:17 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3 This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.

San Jose, California 95131
9/30/26, 11:17 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 3/3

councilmembers to implement basic security measures, such as prohibiting access to the system on a personal device. However, the invasive privacy violations of mass surveillance cannot be resolved by removing one ‘bad actor,’ The Council must do more. As a member of the San José community, I demand that:
- The City of San José moves to cancel the contract with Flock per the contract’s termination for convenience clause;
- If the Council still believes in this flawed system of mass surveillance, all Flock cameras must be covered immediately, and the entire ALPR system be suspended immediately until a complete and thorough audit is conducted by the City Auditor in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA);
- The City Auditor must define audit requirements and methodology in consultation with the Independent Police Auditor (IPA), and with the community in public forums that offer opportunities for meaningful and collaborative public engagement; - Unauthorized uses, access, and disclosure must be clearly defined by the City Manager and City Attorney, with provisions for civil and criminal penalties for the officers and the ability for any victims to sue for damages as a result of technology abuse.

According to the publicly disclosed timeline, this public reporting of the abuse of Flock ALPR data happened just a few months after the SJPD Chief assured the council and the public the system was 100% secure and that adequate safeguards were implemented that would prevent a flagrant violation like this from happening. Additionally, Chief Joseph indicated, “The impact of these cameras for our public safety efforts is unquestioned,” and he also recognized, “...the concern that many in our community have regarding the safety, reliability and trustworthiness of these cameras.” This contradiction makes it clear that the SJPD cannot be trusted to police itself on the use of this AI-driven ALPR technology, which in and of itself is a tool of mass surveillance and a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights.

Thank you,
Mina Mahamud
Mina Mahamud
San Jose, California 95116
9/30/26, 11:54 AM Mail - Rules and Open Government Committee Agendas - Outlook https://outlook.cloud.microsoft/mail/[email protected]/inbox/id/AAQkADhhYzk3NTk1LTBmZDAtNDc4Yi1hN2Q0LTZjNmZjNTk5M… 2/3

Our demand to shut down the ALPRs and cancel the Flock contract has not changed. The severity of this violation calls for strong action to rebuild trust, transparency, and accountability:

1. The City must cancel its Flock contract;

3. The City Auditor and IPA, as informed by the community in public forums, must define the audit requirements and methodology;

5. The City must provide community organizations and community members the ability to provide input and feedback throughout the process.

Joint Meeting for the Rules and Open Government Committee and Committee of the WholeSeptember 30, 2026

Joint Meeting for the Rules and Open Government Committee and Committee of the Whole
September 30, 2026