In this brief clip from the July 6 Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission meeting, Oakland Police Department Assistant Chief John Lois stated under questioning that he was aware of no legal authority that allows the collection of data on people not suspected of wrongdoing.
Originally printed in the East Bay Express on June 28 2017
On July 11, the City of Oakland’s Public Safety Committee will consider two landmark policies to defend community members against the Trump Administration’s war on sanctuary cities and immigrants.
Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan is sponsoring a resolution that, if adopted, would rescind the Oakland Police Department’s authorization to participate in task forces with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
And Councilmember Lynette Gibson-McElhaney is sponsoring an ordinance that would require OPD officers to adhere at all times to state and local standards when participating in any federal task forces, including the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (“JTTF”), of which ICE is the largest member. In other words, the feds can’t make our cops do anything that’s a violation of our values and rules.
“California spends more time regulating barber shops and taco trucks than on regulating surveillance.”
Brian Hofer, Chair of the Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission and member of Oakland Privacy, testified before the California State Assembly Public Safety Committee in Sacramento on June 27th, 2017. The Committee later passed by measure with a 4-2 vote. It goes now to the Assembly Privacy Committee and, assuming continued favorable votes, ultimately to the Assembly floor. The legislation, sponsored by Senator Hill, has already passed the California Senate.
Below is a transcript of Brian’s words before the Committee and a video of the SB-21 Hearing
On June 19, CA Assembly Privacy Committee chair Ed Chau introduced CalBIPA – AB375 – to restore the consumer protections stripped by Trump’s congress. The bill will allow Internet users to consent to the sale or disclosure of their Internet activities by their Internet service providers. Oakland Privacy is a bill sponsor.
To take action to support CalBIPA – click here.
To read the text of the bill – click here.
Sent 6/12/17
Dear Senate President pro Tempore de León,
Oakland Privacy writes in strong support of SB 54 (de León). Oakland Privacy is a citizen’s coalition that works regionally to defend the right to privacy and enhance public transparency and oversight regarding the use of surveillance techniques and equipment.
SB 54 will protect the privacy, safety and well-being of all Californians by ensuring that state and local resources are not used to fuel mass deportations, separate families, or divide Californians on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, immigration status, or national or ethnic origins. Preventing the use of California state databases for immigration inquiries, as the legislation does, is important in maintaining individuals’ right to privacy, a special concern of our group.
Following up on the Privacy Commission’s recommendation that OPD sever ties with ICE, Oakland Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan quickly showed leadership by agreeing to sponsor the Resolution necessary to rescind the prior Council authorization to enter into such an agreement.