Members of an opposition group spoke out against the use of automated license plate readers by law enforcement in Santa Cruz County during the Watsonville City Council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 9. (Evan Quarnstrom — Santa Cruz Local)

WATSONVILLE >> The Watsonville City Council voted to renew its contract with a controversial license plate reader company on Tuesday, despite opposition from residents who spoke about potential misuse of the technology in federal immigration investigations. 

Watsonville, which already had 20 license plate cameras since June 2023, will now have a total of 37 cameras as part of a new 24-month contract worth $251,000. The cameras are leased from the Georgia-based surveillance company Flock Safety, which has faced backlash amid reports that its data has been illegally used by federal agencies. 

The renewed contract passed in a 5 to 2 vote. Councilmembers Eduardo Montesino, Kristal Salcido, Casey Clark, Jimmy Dutra and Ari Parker voted in favor. Mayor Maria Orozco and councilmember Vanessa Quiroz-Carter voted against.

Councilmember Quiroz-Carter, who supported the cameras in 2023, has since changed her position. She said she initially backed the technology to reduce pedestrian fatalities, but is now concerned about potential data abuse under the current presidential administration. 

“We are so far behind on where we need to be with stringent laws protecting our data,” she said.

Mayor Orozco joined Quiroz-Carter in dissent. While acknowledging the camera’s efficacy in solving crimes, she said she cannot support them. 

“It’s not because I don’t trust [the Watsonville Police Department], but because of where we stand at a national level, politically speaking,” Orozco said.

More than two dozen Santa Cruz County residents attended the council meeting – the majority speaking against the contract renewal. They cited federal agencies’ past misuse of the Flock database, the cameras’ potential conflict with Watsonville’s sanctuary city values, violations of the Fourth Amendment, vulnerability to data breaches and wasteful use of public funds.

Members of a newly formed opposition group – Get the Flock Out – also shared concerns.

Their main goal is to end all Santa Cruz County contracts with license plate recognition camera companies. On their website they list a group of supporters, including 20 local organizations.

Jill Clifton is a member and attended Tuesday’s council meeting. She said the number of arrests attributed to Flock cameras does not outweigh the risks associated with federal immigration agencies potentially having access to surveillance data that could then be abused.

“We heard a lot of really compelling reasons to be concerned about Flock, how they use data,” Clifton said. “I’m really disappointed that they didn’t listen. Now we have a bigger fight than we hoped.”

Pushback against the license plate readers – which Flock says are used by more than 5,000 agencies in 49 states – has focused on federal agencies violating California law to access the data for immigration investigations. In addition to Watsonville, Santa Cruz has eight cameras and Capitola 10.

A proposed California law, SB 274, aims to restrict which Flock employees can access data, require data privacy training for Flock employees and patch loopholes that have allowed law enforcement to use the database with vague justifications.

Questions remain about whether Flock, based in Georgia, is subject to California laws that prohibit sharing license plate data with out-of-state or federal agencies.

Watsonville Interim Police Chief David Rodriguez spoke during the city council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 9 about the benefits of using automated license plate reader cameras in community safety. (Evan Quarnstrom — Santa Cruz Local)

Before casting his vote, Councilmember Dutra asked about contingency plans if Flock were found to have mishandled data. City Attorney Samantha Zutler clarified that the city can terminate the contract at any time with 30 days’ notice and could pursue legal action if violations occur.

Councilmember Salcido said she supported the cameras because of their role in solving cases involving missing children.

“I am persuaded tonight by the types of crimes that can be solved. If my children were to go missing, I would want this type of tool to be used,” Salcido said.

Salcido noted that she trusts Watsonville police to use the cameras responsibly and that any findings to the contrary should result in termination of the contract. 

Watsonville Interim Police Chief David Rodriguez defended the use of Flock cameras in a presentation during the council meeting. He argued the technology increases safety and makes up for officer staffing shortages. 

“What Flock does is provide us with a true force multiplier that allows us to solve more crimes,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez’s presentation noted that the technology has been used on nearly 100 calls by Watsonville Police in the last six months, including the arrest of an attempted murder suspect. He says that since Flock cameras were installed, stolen vehicles have decreased by 11% and stolen vehicle recoveries have increased by 8%. 

Addressing privacy concerns, Rodriguez emphasized that safeguards are in place and the data is never sold to private companies. He noted that new features in California block access if users search with flagged terms such as Immigration Customs Enforcement, “ICE” or “immigration.” With 17 additional cameras, he said, the city could cover key entry and exit points that currently lack surveillance.

But Clifton, one of the anti-Flock activists, wasn’t convinced, and said there’s always an underlying risk that information could be turned over to ICE or the Department of Homeland Security. 

“We feel like we’re paying a lot for that [contract] with constant surveillance of all of our community members,” she said. 

Questions or comments? Email [email protected]. Santa Cruz Local is supported by members, major donors, sponsors and grants for the general support of our newsroom. Our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. Learn more about Santa Cruz Local and how we are funded.