Name: San Diego to review license plate reader tech
Uploaded: 2025-11-12T18:41:00.626Z
Duration: 2 min 6 s
Description: The San Diego City Council on Wednesday will review the police department’s request to continue the use of surveillance technology across the city.

The San Diego City Council on Wednesday will review the police department’s request to continue the use of surveillance technology across the city.

San Diego

The San Diego City Council is reviewing the use of smart streetlights and automatic license plate readers, technologies that have sparked controversy over privacy and financial costs. The San Diego Police Department argues the systems are vital for crime-solving, citing over 200 arrests last year, including suspects in attempted kidnappings and hate crimes.

Despite these successes, privacy advocates and a public advisory board have raised concerns, noting that the city has spent over $5 million on the program in two years, but searches aided only 0.2% of cases. The police department has stated it does not share data with out-of-state or federal agencies and plans to update its policies, with residents encouraged to attend the council meeting and share their opinions.

San Diego to review license plate reader tech

Controversial surveillance cameras in San Diego will be reviewed today by the City Council. Police say they help them solve crimes, but some advocates question the cost in both dollars and privacy. ABC 10 News reporter Ava Kirshner joins us live in the studio this morning. Ava, these cameras feel like we've been talking about them for years. They have caused a lot of debate in the city and the police department wants to keep them running. That's right. A lot of controversy, Jared. The smart streetlights as well as those license plate readers haven't really been accepted with open arms from every San Diego and many are still concerned about their data being shared. But today the San Diego Police Department will try its best to convince city leaders that this crime fighting tech should stay in 2024. The city paid for 500 smart streetlights to be installed along with the automatic license plate readers. It's technology. S. D. P. D. Says that's a game changer. Data from the cameras helped them make more than 200 arrests just last year. That includes the arrest of a suspect in two attempted kidnappings at a Mission Valley Mall and the arrest of the suspects in a series of hate crimes in Hillcrest. Still, this tech hasn't gone without pushback over privacy. If the police believe that this huge expensive system is benefiting the public, then it should be very simple for them to produce the data for independent verification on how the technology is being used so that everybody can look at it together and we can all agree. Oh, apparently this is such an amazing system with such amazing results. The public advisory board says the city has spent more than $5 million over the last two years on the smart streetlights and searches of the system only helped in 0.2% of cases. But today S. D. P. D. Is trying to shore up confidence in the programs. They say they're not sharing data with any out of state law enforcement agencies. They're also looking to update their policy so that it's clear the data will also not be shared with the federal government. The department will be presenting their changes made to the programs this afternoon at two o'clock. Mayor Gloria is encouraging san diegans like you to come to council chambers and share your thoughts on the technology for abc 10 news. I'm Ava Kirshner.

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