This workshop is open to active law enforcement officers only. Surveillance ordinances are coming to a city near you. This presentation highlights the challenging process the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) used to navigate and comply with San Diego’s surveillance ordinance, to include policies, impact reports, and mandatory community meetings for education and feedback. The process included collaboration with a newly empaneled Privacy Advisory Board and, ultimately, the city council to approve the use of the technologies. Presenters will offer real-life examples, such as deploying smart streetlights (with embedded automated license plate readers) technology. Gauging public sentiment was crucial to compliance with the surveillance ordinance, and community feedback was required and paramount to the process. Presenters will discuss how SDPD currently uses digital polling software to assess its performance at achieving “trust” and “safety” and identify what issues are essential to San Diego residents. SDPD has used this software to survey community sentiments on homelessness and surveillance technology (specifically cameras and plate readers in public spaces) to help guide the department and the city’s response to both concerns. The presentation will discuss how SDPD’s proposed system of cameras will work. The utility of this technology has been demonstrated across the United States, with recent success including the apprehension of a mass shooter in Atlanta, Georgia. This presentation is designed to help police leaders understand how to navigate surveillance ordinances and use polling technology to hear more voices, instead of just the “loudest” voices.
