Fusion Centers, License Plate Readers

Fusion Center Sharing Report From Vigilant License Plate Database

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On June 5, 2018, the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center (NCRIC), the Homeland Security fusion center for the Norcal region, released via a public records request the sharing report for their account in the license plate reader database LEARN-NVLS, which is maintained by plate reader manufacturer Vigilant Solution.

The report (see below) listed 100+ agencies the fusion center is sharing its own license plate reader data with, including many outside the region (sample) –  Duluth Police Department(MN), the Fort Bend Sheriff’s Department (TX), The Grosse Ile Police Department (MI), The Pine Mountain Police Department (GA), Saugerties Police Department (NY), the Miami Police Department (FL) and the Gulfport Police Department (MS).

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Immigration and ICE

Richmond Makes It Official: Sanctuary City Contracting Law Ratified

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As the primary election polls were starting to close, at a bit after 9pm Pacific on June 5,  the Richmond City Council completed their second and ratifying vote on the Bay Area’s first Sanctuary City contracting ordinance, by a 5-1 vote.

The Sanctuary City contracting ordinance (template legislation is available at the Deport ICE website) allows cities and counties that are sanctuary jurisdictions to put their dollars where their mouths are, by ending municipal contracts and investments with ICE data brokers.

Richmond’s historic vote makes Richmond the first city in the United States to strengthen their sanctuary policy to exclude private parties providing information and vetting services to ICE.

Similar legislation is under consideration in Alameda, Berkeley and Oakland.

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Facial Recognition

35 Civil Rights Organizations Tell Amazon To Get Out Of The Facial Recognition Business

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35 civil rights organizations (including Oakland Privacy)  joined a sign-on letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to desist from marketing facial recognition technology to the government.

Public records requests reveal that the company has developed and sold a prototype product called “Rekognition” to police departments in Florida and Oregon. 

The company specifically describes the purpose of the technology to be “person-tracking.”

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Immigration and ICE, License Plate Readers

Richmond Cuts Ties To ICE Data Brokers

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On May 15th, the City Council of Richmond, CA voted 6-1 to enact a Sanctuary City Contracting ordinance, sponsored by Councilmembers Jovanka Beckles and Ada Recinos.

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The Sanctuary City ordinance (model legislation can be found here) was developed by the 19-member Deport ICE coalition which seeks to strengthen sanctuary protections in California cities.

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Immigration and ICE, License Plate Readers

South Bay Immigrant Rights Group Tells Vigilant Solutions To Void ICE Contract

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Immigration rights activists from Pasos, supported by the San Jose/Sacred Heart chapter of Showing Up For Racial Justice, visited the Livermore, CA headquarters of license plate reader manufacturer Vigilant Solutions on the afternoon of Friday, March 11.

After a rally, activists attempted to deliver a letter to Vigilant asking them to void their January 2018 contract with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Vigilant employees would not answer the doorbell, so the letter was taped to the front door. Oakland Privacy and the DeportICE coalition sent a rep to the Vigilant delegation.

San Francisco Chronicle coverage of the delegation.

NBC Bay Area coverage of the delegation.

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