Santa Ana candidates split over Flock camera oversight

SANTA ANA, Calif. — Santa Ana candidates are divided over the city’s use of Flock automated license plate reader cameras as officials prepare to review the contract next week, Voice of OC reported.

The debate puts surveillance technology, police spending and Measure N at the center of the Nov. 3 election in a city where the police department receives about 40% of general fund spending, according to Voice of OC.

Voice of OC reported that the candidates discussed public safety at a Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce forum at Santa Ana College and in follow-up interviews after recent campaign events. The issue has drawn broader concern across Orange County from residents who say automated license plate readers can invade privacy, track people who are not suspected of crimes and be misused by police officers.

Attorney Dan Shimell, a mayoral candidate, called for ending the Flock camera program. “We need to get rid of that as soon as it’s legally feasible to do so,” Shimell told Voice of OC. Shimell added, “We’ve seen data leak. We’ve seen them be misused in other cities, and even with our own city,” and said, “we were promised at the time that this data would be used just for law enforcement purposes and just for certain authorized state partner agencies and we’ve seen now that at times federal agencies have gotten a hold of that data, so I think that’s a problem.”

Dwayne Shipp, president of the OC Heritage Council, Community Development commissioner and mayoral candidate, questioned the technology’s purpose. “Is it really effective or is it just about information and data that they’re selling?” Shipp told Voice of OC. He also said, “If other cities are blocking them, why is Santa Ana trying to do it? Why is Santa Ana trying to get everybody’s information? So they can know where the immigrants are, so they could go kidnap them? I’m not with that stuff either,” according to Voice of OC.

Other candidates also raised objections or called for oversight. Selica Diaz, a realtor and Ward 2 candidate, told Voice of OC, “I really currently don’t know what type of policy they approved but I would like those policies to be completely strengthened and for the information not to leave the city itself. That should stay completely confidential within just city limits and only for the use of the appropriate people, not for anyone else to to have that information,” Ben Vazquez, a Santa Ana councilman and Ward 2 candidate, said, “It is spying and these are the tools used by dictatorships – by fascist governments – and when you have these tools in place and you leave them there, they can be abused and they will be abused,” Voice of OC reported.

Sandra De Anda, director of policy for the OC Rapid Response Network and a Ward 4 candidate, said the city does not fully understand Flock’s reach. “I don’t think that we, as a city, even understand the fullest extent of Flock. In cities like Costa Mesa, it’s been utilized by a police officer to stalk a woman, and I know that Flock is unfortunately being utilized to to harm women,” De Anda told Voice of OC. Isuri Ramos, chairwoman of the Planning Commission, executive director of Chispa and a Ward 6 candidate, said, “The city council had until now failed to provide the oversight it promised. They promised an audit at the one year mark of the contract approval which would have been in May of 2026 – we’re about to go into October,” according to Voice of OC.

Mayor Valerie Amezcua and Councilman Phil Bacerra voted last year to approve an up to $211,000 Flock camera contract, Voice of OC reported. The outlet reported that council members also approved an up to nearly $683,000 three-year contract for five drones this year and a resolution asking state legislators to include Santa Ana in a speed camera pilot program. Giovanni Chavez, an attorney and Ward 6 candidate, said at Tuesday’s forum, “We have to make sure not only do we have more public safety personnel to tackle these issues, but that they have the technologies they need to be able to address these issues,” according to Voice of OC.

Voice of OC reported that Measure N, the 1.5% sales tax voters approved in 2018 and incumbents are asking voters to extend indefinitely, is also part of the election debate after the city cut $11 million in spending this past summer.