PRESS RELEASE:
October 4, 2022
AMIDST TROUBLING LEVELS OF VIOLENCE IN OAKLAND, COUNCILMEMBERS TREVA REID AND LOREN TAYLOR MOVE TO REVISIT OPD’S AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER USE POLICY
Oakland, CA – To combat the city’s growing public safety crisis, this morning, East Oakland Councilmembers Treva Reid and Loren Taylor moved for the full Council to revisit Oakland Police Department’s (OPD’s) Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) service use policy. The administrative item, which was forwarded from the Public Safety Committee to the Privacy Advisory Commission (PAC) for additional review, would authorize OPD’s enhanced usage of ALPR technology to identify stolen vehicles and track down individuals involved in serious crimes. If approved by Council, ALPR could immediately boost OPD’s solve rates for armed robberies, homicides, and other public safety issues.
Councilmembers Loren Taylor and Councilmember Treva Reid, who represent districts disproportionately impacted by violent crime, agree that enhanced use of the ALPR technology would both aid investigations and deter further criminal activities. Through a more comprehensive tracking and cross-referencing of plate numbers, OPD would have greater access to the vehicular data they need to close current and future cases.
“In order to tackle Oakland’s current state of violence and lawlessness, we must fully deploy all our prevention, deterrence, and enforcement tools. The strategic usage of upgraded automated license plate readers will be a win-win, as it provides our officers with the information, they need to hold offenders accountable while mitigating unnecessary interactions.” said Councilmember Loren Taylor “This is just one of the small steps we must take to create a safer Oakland for all.”
With respect to privacy concerns, both Councilmembers seek for the final usage policy to meet the privacy needs of our community as elevated by the PAC. And also, understand that any delay in implementation will only hinder the City’s immediate efforts to address violence.
“We must leverage all available technology and resources to address the unchecked lawlessness and violence rising in our city while ensuring we comply with our use policies. We cannot further delay decisions to update our ALPR technology which helps to increase the effectiveness of real-time data and maps, as well as trend reporting for investigations that can lead to crime mitigation and solved cases.” said Councilmember Treva Reid. “Thousands of people are looking to gain a measure of justice for the crime they endured in Oakland. We must move beyond the impasse to realize the full capacity of our resources to deliver action and accountability.”
Through their successful motion in today’s meeting, the full Council is set to review OPD’s ALPR service use policy during its October 18 meeting. For more information on the corresponding legislation, please visit Oakland Legistar.