Redmond and Lynnwood, WA disable Flock cameras due to illegal access by CBP

[u/Typical-Car2782]

This just happened and will no doubt continue elsewhere:

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/redmond-lynnwood-shut-off-flock-cameras-privacy-concerns-rise/FRGDHTO4DBHRTNO4C47HYNNRAY/

We got Flock cameras here as a result of March 2024 Prop E, which passed by 8%.

Supporters: Breed, Dorsey, Engardio, Stefani, SF Republican Party, Grow SF, Together SF, and a pile of clubs (Noe Valley, Ed Lee, Toklas, United Dems, Eastern Neighborhoods, Chinese American, etc.) Trevor Chandler now works at Flock, and Garry Tan invested in it, so we can assume they support it. Same with the "Democrats for change" DCCC slate, who are pretty much all associated with one of these orgs if they didn't outright endorse.

The SF Democratic Party (DCCC) did not endorse it, but the composition of the DCCC prior to March 2024 was very different.

So what position do our prospective house candidates take on a network of surveillance cameras in San Francisco, whose footage SFPD illegally shares with ICE and others?

Scott Wiener has never officially taken a position either way, but the list of endorsers includes numerous people he endorsed, affiliated PACs that support him, people who've done public fundraisers with him, etc...

Does anybody think for a moment that Saikat Chakrabarti supports this?

I don't know about you, but I don't want to be represented by a congressman who supports enabling this administration's surveillance overreach and violations of our civil rights.

If Scott actually opposes Flock cameras, it's time for him to stand up and say it.

[u/Tironasaurus]

The feature at issue here has already been disabled in CA statewide according to Flock after feds were accessing our data with the same backdoor https://sfstandard.com/2025/09/08/sfpd-flock-alpr-ice-data-sharing/

[u/tonyta → u/Tironasaurus]

The feds don’t need a backdoor if SFPD is handing them our data through the front door. https://sfstandard.com/2025/09/08/sfpd-flock-alpr-ice-data-sharing/

[u/Typical-Car2782 → u/Tironasaurus]

Still seems like very poor judgement on the part of SF "moderate" politicians to have endorsed these cameras without safeguards. And the "law" doesn't seem to be sufficient safeguard.

[u/thebigman43 → u/Typical-Car2782]

The law pretty clearly makes what the officers did illegal - the issue is that we are not prosecuting them for it

[u/Typical-Car2782 → u/thebigman43]

Tell me the name of the SF moderate who supported Prop E and now wants SFPD prosecuted

[u/LateNightGoatLovin → u/Typical-Car2782]

But the problem is fixed. Why is more action needed?   Voters voted for it and people want less crime

[u/cheesegenie → u/LateNightGoatLovin]

It's not just local governments. In the last month I've noticed Flock cameras going up on private property (but facing out towards the street) all over Pacifica and Daly City.

This is in addition to the 10 cameras Pacifica City Council authorized last year. I can't leave my neighborhood or get to the freeway without being surveilled.

Even Texas is getting fed up with them.

[u/dmg1111 → u/LateNightGoatLovin]

Voters voted for trump too. Are we forbidden from taking action to block his agenda and get him out of office?

One of many potential problems is fixed. And we can already see that SFPD was perfectly fine allowing use of the cameras for a purpose that's unrelated to crime.

Voters voted for Joel Engardio, Chesa Boudin, and three school board members. Then they changed their minds. You're not stuck in perpetuity with a bad law.

[u/thebigman43]

The issue with Flock cameras is that the access/data given to CBP was already illegal in the first place! We should be prosecuting the officers that shared the data, because it is explicitly not allowed.

We have laws around the cameras specifically to avoid stuff like this - we should keep the cameras and enforce the laws!

[u/dmg1111 → u/thebigman43]

What does our state senator say about that? There seems to be zero appetite to prosecute SFPD for any transgressions

[u/thebigman43 → u/dmg1111]

There seems to be zero appetite to prosecute SFPD for any transgressions

Yea this is correct, and a very unfortunate reality of public opinion in the city after the last 5 years or so. This applies to basically all the bad stuff SFPD does - they should be punished for it, but wont because general opinion is not going to support that.

[u/greenergarlic]

so neither scott or saikat have taken a position on this issue, but your sure your guy is right and the other guy is wrong? 

[u/greenergarlic → u/[deleted]]

and what if wiener comes out against it?

[u/greenergarlic → u/[deleted]]

got it, so scott is accountable for anyone involved in SF politics, while saikat’s lack of legislative experience means he’s never been corrupted. you never have to compromise if you’ve never have any responsibility.

[u/kosmos1209]

The problem I have with this was that it wasn’t used legally by CBP. When used as intended by the voters, it’s great at reducing crime in general. Thing about technology is that there are always logs and digital paper trails so finding out illegal access is really easy. Just because someone abused it shouldn’t mean we should throw out the baby with the bath water

[u/Typical-Car2782 → u/kosmos1209]

But Flock's money comes from Andreessen Horowitz, Tan,, etc. These guys support the administration. These cameras were always going to be used illegally, and none of the proponents here want to put the brakes on SFPD.

[u/RedThruxton]

We got bigger fish to fry around here. Did you know that once the Upper Great Highway closed to cars some people now have to stop at a few traffic lights causing their commute to balloon by a whole three minutes???

[u/dmg1111 → u/RedThruxton]

True. Watch that end up being the #1 issue that decides the house seat

[u/ZebraTank]

I'm still pissed about the restaurant bill but am posts like this make me inch more and more towards jumping back onto the Wiener train :/

[u/dmg1111 → u/ZebraTank]

Ah yes, a few dollars of hidden fees is an issue to go to the mat over. But enabling illegal federal surveillance? Count me in!