Why this matters

Supporters of expanded police surveillance tools argue that cameras assist officers in stopping offenses and resolving investigations. Critics contend the devices may violate individual privacy rights.

Imperial Beach leaders have agreed to permit law enforcement to set up cameras that monitor license plates and track individuals throughout the community.

In a unanimous decision on Wednesday, council members empowered the city manager to discuss terms for a future agreement with the San Diego County Sheriff's Office covering six cameras. Additional units could follow if officials adopt the full set of sheriff recommendations.

Councilmember Matthew Leyba-Gonzalez did not attend the meeting.

The planned gear features four solar-powered automated license plate readers capable of taking color images of cars moving up to 70 mph from as far as 65 feet, based on a staff report.

Two more street cameras that record video solely for later law enforcement review without live monitoring will launch a two-month trial, per the staff report.

Officials left camera placement unspecified, although the sheriff's office suggested particular intersections. Overall the agency proposed eight license plate readers and three street cameras for Imperial Beach.

Possible camera locations

The sheriff's department suggested these spots for the license plate readers:

Imperial Beach Boulevard and 13th Street
Palm Avenue and 13th Street
13th Street and Elm Avenue
Ninth Street and Palm Avenue

Public safety cameras would go at:

A median in the 800 block of Palm Avenue
Palm Avenue and Seacoast Drive
Imperial Beach Boulevard and Seacoast Drive

Councilmember Mariko Nakawatase questioned Lt. Christopher Galve on how the sheriff's department would gauge the program's effectiveness.

Galve noted the cameras might discourage crime and that measuring success would be challenging.

"In terms of what is success, it's really kind of up to us," he said.

"If we're able to solve crimes using these cameras, the public safety cameras, especially in the locations they're at, it's a success to me."

License plate readers have faced criticism from residents across the county.

A 2022 investigation revealed that police agencies in five San Diego County cities broke state law by sharing license plate information with departments nationwide. Last year another report showed Southern California agencies including San Diego County breached state rules over 100 times in a single month by passing data to federal authorities.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta sued the city of El Cajon last year, claiming officials risked resident privacy and safety through improper sharing of location information.

The sheriff's department partners with Flock Safety for its license plate readers. The devices "capture only vehicle-related data and do not collect personal information, facial recognition or biometric identifiers," according to a staff report.

Vivian Dunbar, a San Ysidro resident who often visits Imperial Beach, described the cameras as a "trade-off of privacy for security." She voiced worries about data sharing, including with immigration enforcement.

"There's problems where they've been hacked," she said about the camera data. "People have used them to stop people, people have been incorrectly arrested or falsely identified, so they're not foolproof."

Councilmember Carol Seabury defended the cameras against such concerns.

"I believe that if you are a parent of someone that is being kidnapped or of crime, this is worth a million dollars to you if you can bring back your loved one," she said. "You gotta balance the safety or the fear. There will always be fear for people because: human nature."

Councilmember Jack Fisher cited the San Diego Police Department's use of license plate readers after the shooting at the city's Islamic Center last month that killed three people.

Officers relied on the cameras that morning to locate the teens after one mother alerted police to possible violence. The cameras showed the vehicle had been in Mission Valley earlier, yet officers sent there did not locate the suspects.

Less than an hour later SDPD received reports of gunfire at the Islamic Center.

Police later discovered the suspects, who appeared to have died by self-inflicted gunshot wounds, in a BMW less than a mile away.

Fisher said the cameras helped officers respond quickly and "kept the shooting from being more than what it was." Adding license plate readers would extend similar support to the southern county, he added.

"I think this gives us a great opportunity to join forces with other agencies, and especially with our sheriff's department and helping to do what we can," he said.

The city has sufficient funds, nearly $13,000 per year, to cover the first installation and operation of the four license plate readers, Chief Administrative Officer Erika Cortez-Martinez said.

The sheriff's office supplies law enforcement to Imperial Beach and has placed similar cameras in other contract cities. The department also intends to add license plate readers in unincorporated areas such as Alpine, Julian, Lakeside, Ramona, Rancho San Diego and Spring Valley.

Type of Content

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.