Priority 03 of 04
Safety and Accountability Can Work Together.
Public-safety technology can support investigations and emergency response, but weak rules can create unnecessary surveillance, data sharing, and opportunities for abuse.
What Tim Will Propose
- Require clear written policies before the city purchases or expands surveillance technology.
- Establish defined purposes, access rules, retention limits, audit requirements, and consequences for misuse.
- Require public disclosure of major surveillance contracts, data-sharing terms, and vendor safeguards before approval.
- Demand evidence that a tool is effective, necessary, and worth its full cost.
A Note on This Approach
This is about strong public safety with strong oversight — not less safety, and not less accountability.
Council Authority
Council controls city appropriations, major contracts, local ordinances, and policy oversight. Council does not direct individual investigations.
Implementation & Cost
Build safeguards into procurement and contract renewal. Publish the purchase price, recurring fees, staffing demands, data-storage costs, and audit requirements for each proposal.
Accountability
Annual public reporting should include authorized uses, audits, misuse findings, data-sharing practices, retention compliance, and measurable public-safety results, subject to lawful redactions.
Why This Matters
Strong public safety and strong privacy protections are not opposites — clear rules make both possible.
The Issue in 30 Seconds
- The Problem
- Weak rules around public-safety technology can create unnecessary surveillance and risk of misuse.
- Tim's Approach
- Require written policy, defined limits, and public disclosure before the city adopts new surveillance tools.
- What Council Can Actually Do
- Council controls appropriations, major contracts, and local ordinances — not individual investigations.