# Berkeley to decide on keeping or scrapping Flock camera system
# KPIX | CBS NEWS BAY AREA — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cug2FZdJn_g

EXTRA CYBER SECURITY SUPPORT,
AIMING TO REPAIR AND UPGRADE
CITY SYSTEMS.
> TONIGHT IN BERKELEY, A
DECISION IS EXPECTED ON WHETHER
TO CONTINUE THE USE OF AUTOMATED
LICENSE PLATE READER CAMERAS.
FROM A COMPANY UNDER INTENSE
SCRUTINY FOR ITS PRACTICES. THE
CITY CURRENTLY HAS 52 FLOCK
CAMERAS WITH ITS CONTRACT UP IN
JULY. BERKELEY POLICE ARE
PUSHING TO EXPAND THEIR USE. BUT
AS KATY NIELSON REPORTS TONIGHT
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL DECIDE
WHETHER TO KEEP THE CAMERAS WITH
ADDED SAFEGUARDS ON SCRAP THEM
ALL TOGETHER.
BERKELEY HAS STRONG FEELINGS
ABOUT EVERYTHING.
YEAH, YEAH.
Reporter: LONG TIME FRIENDS
AND BERKELEY RESIDENTS LARRY
STRAIN AND SEAGULL.
THE PUBLISH SAFETY BENEFITS
ARE WORTH THE REWARDS IN THAT
CASE.
Reporter: THE USE OF FLOCK
CAMERAS HAS LED TO HUNDREDS OF
ARRESTS OF SUSPECTS OVER THE
PAST FEW YEARS AS RECENTLY AS
YESTERDAY WITH THE ARREST OF AN
OAKLAND HOME INVASION ROBBERY
SUSPECT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S WORTH
IT. I MEAN I GET THAT THEY
PROBABLY CATCH PEOPLE WITH IT.
BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S, I THINK
IT'S NOT THE RIGHT USE OF
FUNDS. I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA
THAT THEY CAN, THAT INFORMATION
CAN BE SHARED WITH OTHER
AGENCIES.
Reporter: THAT'S THE BIGGEST
CONCERNS IS THESE CONTRACTS COME
UP FOR RENEWAL IN COMMUNITIES
ACROSS THE BAY AREA. HOW MUCH
DATA IS BEING COLLECTED. WHO HAS
ACCESS TO IT, AND HOW IS IT
BEING USED.
NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF
PENALTYS ARE IMPOSED OR
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ARE
IMPOSED, FUNDAMENTALLY, IF THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WANTS THAT
DATA THEY'RE GOING TO GET IT.
Reporter: ANDREA PRITCHETT IS
THE FOUNDER OF COP WATCH AN
ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP. SHE SAYS
SHE WORRIES IF THE INFORMATION
EXISTS IT COULD BE MADE
AVAILABLE TO I.C.E. OR
PROTESTERS WHO ARE ATTENDING
RALLIES.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE,
WHERE THEY GO TO WORK. WHERE
THEY GO TO SCHOOL. WHAT THEIR
HABITS ARE. THE SAFEST THING
THAT WE CAN DO IN OUR COMMUNITY
IS NOT TO COLLECT IT. SO WE SAY
IF YOU CAN'T PROTECT IT, DON'T
COLLECT IT.
Reporter: FOR RESIDENTS LIKE
LARRY, HE SAYS WHILE HE DOESN'T
LIKE THE IDEA OF WIDESPREAD DATA
COLLECTION FROM CAMERAS, IT
DOESN'T SEEM MUCH DIFFERENT
THAN OTHER DIGITAL SURVEILLANCE.
I THINK PRIVACY IS, YOU KNOW,
HAS LEFT THE BUILDING A LONG
TIME AGO ANY WAY. SO I'M NOT
SURE HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH WORSE
THIS IS MAKING PRIVACY ISSUES.
Reporter: THE CITY COUNCIL
MEETING HERE IN BERKELEY STARTS
AT 6:00 TONIGHT.
BERKELEY'S MAYOR HAS
PROPOSED REJECTING THE RENEWAL
OF THE FLOCK CONTRACT.
TONIGHT'S VOTE ALSO COMES AS
BERKELEY POLICE ARE LOOKING TO
LAUNCH A DRONE PROGRAM WITH
FLOCK. AND