Berkeley residents are facing a decision that could reshape how the city monitors public spaces. The Berkeley Police Department (BPD) prompted a two million dollar proposal at a March 18, 2026, City Council meeting to expand its network of public safety cameras, drones, and software through Flock Safety.
Flock Safety is a surveillance company that offers services such as automated license plate readers (ALPRs), cameras, drones, and data sharing tools to law enforcement agencies. Several other cities such as Santa Cruz, Mountain View, South Pasadena, and Los Altos Hills have scrutinized Flock, reporting that its technology has been unauthorizedly used to monitor protesters, investigate abortion-related cases, and assist federal immigration enforcement.
If approved, expansion would add three drones and 16 cameras, extend the use of 52 current ALPRs, and give Flock services access to private cameras around the city — all using software that unifies data. Police say the system would help officers to quickly connect various sources of information during investigations, aiming to make Berkeley a more “resilient, safe, connected, and prepared city.”
BPD says that Flock assisted in 58 arrests in 2025, and helped investigators identify a later-convicted criminal who opened fire in a school zone near Malcolm X Elementary School in 2025.
The motion also includes a Master Services Agreement (MSA) negotiated by the City Attorney’s Office to administer all Flock services. As stated in BPD’s proposition, “the city owns all of its data … (and) Flock is prohibited from selling, sharing, or distributing city data without explicit authorization.”
Mayor Adena Ishii stated the proposal could bring risks to vulnerable communities, particularly if data is shared beyond local authorities, and that she does not support it despite acknowledging potential benefits.
“The technology is very useful … but the company — I’m concerned about whether or not they’re trustworthy … how this tool could be used to target our immigrant communities. I thought it was far too easy for jurisdictions to accidentally share information with the federal government,” she said.
The City of Oakland recently approved a $2.25 million Flock expansion despite privacy concerns, concluding that added technology could significantly reduce high crime rates. Mira Willis, a Berkeley High School freshman, has discussed the proposal and its potential effects on the community with her fellow members of the BHS Sunrise Club — a climate justice and student activism group — and worries the cameras could be used to track undocumented people and protesters.
Willis shared that she occasionally participates in walkouts and protests, and feels that Flock surveilling her, “makes people feel like it’s a lot more dangerous to protest, speak their minds, and stand up for what they believe in,” she explained.
Ishii, alongside council members Igor Tregub and Cecilia Lunaparra, plan to introduce a measure to stop Berkeley’s proposed contract with Flock Safety and prevent any new agreements from being made, though she emphasized its outcome will depend on a full City Council vote.
Two special City Council meetings on the proposal will be held on Thursday, May 7 and June 2, 2026, at 5 p.m. Ishii encouraged all to attend, especially students.
“I think the student voice is so important. … Just because some of you can’t vote doesn’t mean you can’t speak out,” Ishii said.
Berkeley now stands between two paradoxical points: increased public safety against concerns over privacy, misuse, and civil liberties. The decision will reflect how the city responds to crime and defines trust between the public and those who are tasked to protect it.
With upcoming City Council meetings set to shape the outcome, the community’s voices will play an important role in determining whether Berkeley expands or ends Flock technology use — or finds an alternative solution.