City Government

OP-ED: Reining in and Raining on the Surveillance State

Published

8 years ago

January 31, 2017

By JP Massar

Groundbreaking legislation that will put limits upon the local surveillance state is up for consideration in the Bay Area these next few months. With a new administration being handed the vast resource of existing Federal surveillance capabilities, it is more crucial than ever that localities understand what their police are doing in this regard and take measures to protect the civil liberties of the people.

On January 24th, the Oakland City Council Public Safety Committee had before it a ‘use and privacy policy’ (tinyurl.com/hw2t7ez) for Cell Site Simulators (aka Stingrays) – devices which can track your cellphone and, if configured to do so, snoop on your communications.

The Public Safety Committee voted unanimously to approve the policy, sending it on to the full Oakland City Council. This is an example of a policy that should be in place for all surveillance equipment, and civil liberties groups around the Bay are working towards that end. To wit:

The Bart Board of Directors is scheduling consideration of a Surveillance Equipment Regulation Ordinance (tinyurl.com/zgzh558). This ‘meta-ordinance’ mandates that all surveillance equipment – including Cell Site Simulators – be acquired through a public process. Use and privacy policies vetted in public must be in place before deployment for all such equipment, and a cost/benefit and civil liberties analysis done beforehand. The ordinance would also require yearly audits of equipment use, publicly available.

This would be similar to a proposed ordinance which the Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission passed several weeks ago (tinyurl.com/zfwc235) for consideration by the Oakland City Council next month.

Berkeley is also in the beginning stages of considering its own Surveillance Equipment Regulation Ordinance. Santa Clara County adopted the first such ordinance of its kind in the nation about a

year ago.

The Cell Site Simulator use and privacy policy Oakland’s Public Safety Committee considered was crafted by the Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission and is likely the strongest such policy in the nation. It’s significantly stronger than existing state laws such as one Illinois passed six months ago (tinyurl.com/hybkmzu), and it’s not clear if there are any other, local, publicly vetted policies in place putting real limitations on the use of these devices – devices which gained notoriety in the last couple of years for their indiscriminant deployment (tinyurl.com/mpu286h).

As proposed, the policy says a Cell Site Simulator:

can never be used to intercept content, only to locate a cell phone;
can only be used with a warrant, or in an emergency for 48 hours before obtaining a warrant;
can only be used for certain, delineated purposes. The allowed purposes are to locate a missing person or at-risk individual, assist in investigations involving danger to the life or physical safety of an individual, or to apprehend known fugitives. They cannot be used in a “dragnet” operation; the cell phone to be located must be known in advance.

In addition a log of each use must be maintained, and an annual report detailing usage statistics, locations of deployment and costs must be compiled.

Would the world be better off without such powerful technologies? Would we be safer if the police could use surveillance without limits? Or is there a middle, accepting that surveillance technology will not just go away and will inevitably become more sophisticated? Is there a middle, knowing that the power to watch, unchecked, inevitably corrupts the watcher and demeans those surveilled?

Oakland Privacy, which has worked hard since the defeat of the Domain Awareness Center in 2014 promoting privacy and surveillance restrictions, suggests that such a middle needs to exist, because the consequence otherwise is not no surveillance state, but rather unfettered government – and big business – access to everything we say and do.

Oakland, Berkeley and BART should pass these ordinances. By opening up the process of acquiring surveillance equipment to public scrutiny, we hope that tradeoffs will be analyzed and consequences of surveillance discussed, so that the people – not the NSA, not Donald Trump, and not your local police – can draw the lines.

JP Massar is a member of the Oakland Privacy Working Group.

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Activism

City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

10 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

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Activism

BWOPA Honors Black Leadership and Legacy at 2024 Ella Hill Hutch Awards Dinner

On Dec. 5, BWOPA held its Annual Ella Hill Hutch Awards Ceremony, at the Fairmont Claremont Hotel in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills. At the event, the group comprised of Black women from various professional backgrounds, honored distinguished local and state leaders whose contributions have shaped civic engagement and advanced critical social issues impacting Black communities.

Published

11 hours ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

L-R: BWOPA State Executive Director LaNiece Jones; State Asm. Mia Bonta; BWOPA 2024 Man of The Year/Urban League SFBA CEO Ken Maxey; BWOPA State President Hon. Dezie Woods-Jones; State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas; Rowena Brown, Oakland Councilmember At-Large, Elect; BWOPA State Regional Director Vashone Huff. Courtesy photo.

By Oakland Post Staff

Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) is a statewide non-profit advocacy and membership organization committed to solving problems affecting Black Californians.

On Dec. 5, BWOPA held its Annual Ella Hill Hutch Awards Ceremony, at the Fairmont Claremont Hotel in the Oakland/Berkeley Hills.

At the event, the group comprised of Black women from various professional backgrounds, honored distinguished local and state leaders whose contributions have shaped civic engagement and advanced critical social issues impacting Black communities.

The evening was hosted by Dr. Shawna Charles, founder of The Charles Communications Group (CCG) headquartered in Los Angeles. Charles served as mistress of ceremonies.

With a track record of elevating voices and empowering communities, Charles’ leadership and insight brought a certain dynamism to the celebration.

“Each year, this event not only celebrates the enduring legacy of our beloved BWOPA founding member, Ella Hill Hutch, but also reaffirms and amplifies our unwavering commitment to building and sustaining Black political power across California,” said Dezie Woods-Jones, BWOPA founding member and State president.

“Ella Hill Hutch’s trailblazing leadership continues to inspire us as we forge ahead, empowering Black women to lead, advocate, and shape a more equitable future for all,” added Woods-Jones.

This year’s event introduced the DWJ Rising Star Award, honoring young leaders like Solano County Board Supervisors-elect Cassandra James, Danielle Motley-Lewis, Naomi Waters and newly elected State Assemblymember elect Rhodesia Ransom (D-Stockton).

According to organizers, the awardees all exemplify “the next generation of changemakers.”

Other awardees included:

Lifetime Achievement Awardees: Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) and Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson
Man of the Year: Kenneth Maxey, CEO of the Greater SF Bay Area Urban League
President’s Corporate Award: Yvette Radford, Kaiser Permanente
In the Spirit of Ella State and Chapter Awards: Dr. Carolyn Greene, Dr. Marcella K. Smith, Dr. Carolyn Drake, Tinisch Hollins, Jackie Jones, Gloria Burgess Johnson, Tamika L’Ecluse, Ellen Nash, Betty Reid Soskin, and Ay’Anna Moody.

BWOPA also celebrated local champions across its chapters, including leaders in voter education, healthcare, criminal justice reform, and community advocacy.

In a statement, BWOPA said, “Honoring Ella Hill Hutch’s legacy, BWOPA recognizes her pioneering efforts as the first Black woman elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Her tireless work amplifying underrepresented voices continues to inspire BWOPA’s mission to build Black political power across California.”

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to our members, partners and allies who believe in BWOPA’s vision to invest in building power for Black women’s leadership,” said LaNiece Jones, BWOPA State executive director. “Your support ensures that Black women have a voice at decision-making tables locally, regionally, statewide, and nationally, advancing diversity and equity in leadership spaces.”