By JACQI LEYVA-HILL
Special to the NEWS
Surveillance cameras recently installed throughout San Benito have faced criticism from residents and privacy advocates, raising questions about how the system operates and how the collected data is used.
The cameras are part of an automated license plate reader (ALPR) system supplied by the technology company Flock Safety.
According to San Benito Police Chief Mario Perea, the department first learned about the company through law enforcement outreach and by watching how other agencies used the technology to investigate and prevent crime.
“The San Benito Police Department learned about Flock Safety through law enforcement outreach and by discovering the technology used by other agencies to assist in investigating and deterring crime,” Perea said in a written response.
Perea said the department reviewed the system and assessed how the cameras could help with investigations, including identifying vehicles linked to criminal activity or finding stolen vehicles.
The technology has also garnered national attention in recent years, including controversy over a Super Bowl ad connected to the broader surveillance technology network used by law enforcement agencies.
Locally, residents’ questions have mainly centered on how the data collected by the cameras is stored and who might have access to it.
According to Perea, the cameras’ collected data is stored in Flock Safety’s cloud system and is encrypted to prevent unauthorized access. Only authorized law enforcement personnel with individual user accounts can access the system, and all searches made through the platform are recorded.
“All searches are logged within the system to provide an audit trail,” Perea said.
The system also enables sharing information with other law enforcement agencies in the Flock Safety network, when authorized by the department.
The police chief previously stated that information gathered through the system will not be shared with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“The San Benito Police Department will not use the cameras for immigration enforcement purposes. They will not be used to monitor individuals based on immigration status,” Perea said.
City officials state the surveillance program needed an initial outlay of $40,200, which was covered by the city’s budget.
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