It is now past the end of the road for the 2024 state legislative year, so we wanted to report back to you on what happened, what OP did, and what new laws are coming your way. It was the…
Category: Drones
SFPD Violates State Military Equipment Law
The San Francisco Police Department has confirmed in writing that they acquired 6 DJI drones in May of 2024, without requesting Board of Supervisors authorization or getting an approved use policy as required by State Law (AB 481-2021-Chiu). We are…
London Breed’s Prop E May Violate State Law
Proposition E on the San Francisco March 2024 ballot, sponsored by the group Safer San Francisco and championed by SF Mayor Breed, seems to violate 2021 state law (Assembly Bill 481). The ballot initiative purports to allow SFPD to use…
Alameda County Militarized Equipment
In the coming weeks, Alameda County will be putting forward for a public vote their inventory and usage policys for the county sheriff’s large arsenal of military equipment. ALCO, partially as a result of their operation of the large correctional…
Drones Flew Over The Solano Stroll
In September, the next door cities of Berkeley and Albany hold a street fair called the Solano Stroll, along the avenue that crosses both cities. The event attracts thousands of people. A report filed with the Berkeley City Council due…
City of Hayward Seeks to Deploy Drones
Update: On July 13, the Hayward City Council approved the drone purchase on a 5-2 vote, but required city adminstration to return with a fully operational policy prior to deployment. After initially backing off due to community concerns, the Hayward…
Oakland City Council Approves Drone Use and Bans Predictive Policing and Biometric Surveillance
In a busy surveillance day at the Oakland City Council, the council approved a use policy for drone use in Oakland. The city currently does not own any drones, but has borrowed from the stable of drones owned by the…
El Cerrito’s New Drone
A surveillance watchdog’s job is never done. As we try to convince cities, counties, transit districts and whoever else is watching us, to implement comprehensive oversight, the one-on-one method prevails El Cerrito may be considering a full transparency ordinance, but…
Alameda and Contra Costa County Sheriffs Flew Drones Over Protests
Originally published at EFF Deep Links At the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference in October, presenters from the Orlando Police Department issued a stern warning for fellow local law enforcement officials eager to start a small unmanned…
ICE Protests Highlight Contra Costa County Sheriff Drone Program
Reprinted from Center for Human Rights and Privacy Many protesters observed the use of multiple drones at the West Contra Costa County Detention Center on June 30, 2018, during a protest against ICE and its practice of family…