San Diego Smart City
Information Certainty: Documented
Deployment Purpose: Surveillance
| Summary |
|---|
| 0 |
Products and Institutions:
| Product Deployed | Ubicquia (Software) |
|---|---|
| Institutions ⠉ | Ubicquia |
| Datasets | Ubicquia (Dataset) Unknown Dataset 0032 |
| Search software |
Status and Events:
| Status | Ongoing |
|---|---|
| Events | Start (2 January 2017, Documented, , No description) |
| Start Date | |
| End Date |
Users:
| Involved Entities | FBI Unknown Institution 0051 San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center |
|---|---|
| Managed by | San Diego City Council |
| Used by | San Diego Police Department San Diego City Council El Cajon Police Force |
Location:
| City | San Diego (CA) |
|---|---|
| Country ⠉ | USA |
Description[ ]
In 2017, San Diego City installed up to 3,000 sensors in streetlights around the city as part of its Smart City development plans. Although it was initially believed the sensors were simply for traffic, air quality and gunshot detection, it was found that they had cameras also. When law enforcement discovered the cameras they used them to monitor the city. They also wrote their own protocols for accessing the footage and gave the footage to other police forces, without public knowledge of the video functions of streetlights.
The smart streetlights are equipped with LED bulbs, cameras, and sensors that are capable of monitoring air quality and optimizing traffic and parking. The city partnered with GE, approving the $30 million program in 2016. City officials estimated the program would eventually pay for itself through energy cost-savings 1
According to local media coverage, the devices never produced the environmental and transportation data as promised. Instead, the streetlights were used solely in 2020 by the police—including during the Black Lives Matter protests in June and July, to identify protestors and those accused of vandalism, assault, and other crimes, according to a Voice of San Diego investigation. Police no longer have access to the streetlight footage, but the cameras are still recording and the footage is retained for five days. In September, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer ordered his staff to shut down the program. Ubicquia, a Florida-based company that manages the smart streetlight program, severed the police department’s access to the devices, but declined to completely turn off the recording function until it gets paid for work it already did last year 2
In 2020, following public and internal pressure, the mayor ordered the deactivation of the cameras. However by then the cameras had become a tool for many police forces, and the access to them could no longer be easily controlled. Any police force with 'probable cause' could gain access to the footage, though the footage deletes itself after five days. For example El Cajon Police force gained access to footage because the City simply handed control of the devices to them in response to an investigation request. In 2022, San Diego appointed a privacy board to monitor the use of surveillance technologies in public places.
Ubicquia, the Florida-based company that owns the underlying technology, offered to download the video for El Cajon from “a handful” of streetlights. But first, San Diego needed to re-activate its digital subscription. Instead of reconnecting the devices to the cloud, which would have required the city to re-up its data plan with AT&T, thereby spending money without authorization, officials decided to comply with the legal order in the next best way. They literally handed the devices over 4
SDPD has also shared streetlight camera footage with state and federal agencies, including the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center, a federally recognized hub of intelligence and investigative support 4
San Diego City Council has approved the creation of a Privacy Board to advise on the acquisition and use of surveillance technologies. It will comprise nine volunteer members, six of whom must be city residents, appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council 3
In November 2020, the council gave initial backing for the ordinance as well as a separate one to create rules on the acquisition and use of surveillance technology, with negotiations ongoing since. The second ordinance is expected soon 3
References
- ^ x
- ^ "As smart city technology advances, community groups warn of privacy concerns". (2021) <https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/as-smart-city-technology-advances-community-groups-warn-of-privacy-concerns> Accessed: 2022-06-11
- ^ "Streetlight Spy Cameras Have Led to a Massive Privacy Backlash in San Diego". (2020) <https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3vn83/streetlight-spy-cameras-have-led-to-a-massive-privacy-backlash-in-san-diego> Accessed: 2022-06-11
- a b "San Diego Smart Streetlights Are Off, But They’re Still Helping Police". (2020) <http://voiceofsandiego.org/2020/12/23/san-diego-smart-streetlights-are-off-but-theyre-still-helping-police/> Accessed: 2022-06-11
- a b "San Diego moves ahead with surveillance technology oversight board". (2022) <https://cities-today.com/san-diego-moves-ahead-with-surveillance-technology-oversight-board/> Accessed: 2022-06-11