Statement from Oakland Privacy (https://oaklandprivacy.org) on Proposed Los Angeles Police Commission Surveillance Board/Advisory Body
We release this statement as the citizens advocacy group that promoted and helped to implement what has become known as the “Oakland model” of surveillance activism and regulation. The body in Oakland that eventually became the Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission was generated in and endorsed by the community and local activists. It came into being with local activist support and its existence stems directly from their work.
Whatever the proposal from Secure Justice and others is, or is not, it is absolutely not the “Oakland model” if it is overriding the local activist community. We believe it is up to the Los Angeles community how they want to engage with their police department and regulatory bodies about surveillance tools in their city and how, and if, they are used. It can not and will not work in any other way.
The proposal should be taken off the table due to significant community opposition.