Whitburn Seeks Removal of 500 Flock Cameras

San Diego Councilmember Stephen Whitburn reversed his support for the city’s roughly 500 Flock automated license plate cameras and called for them to be shut off, shifting the City Council toward a majority opposed to the system. He said expanded federal immigration enforcement, including reported operations at schools and construction sites, has intensified residents’ fears that camera data could be used to target immigrant communities. Whitburn had previously backed the cameras for public safety but now argues the city should redirect contract savings toward faster police response times. Mayor Todd Gloria and Police Chief Scott Wahl defend the program, citing safeguards and its role in investigations; Wahl has said it contributed to hundreds of arrests and a decline in car thefts. The debate follows an ACLU lawsuit challenging the system as an invasion of privacy.