Las Cruces City Council took decisive steps this week to protect residents’ privacy while preserving public safety. Councilor Michael Harris (District 3) announced new contract restrictions for the city’s partnership with Flock Safety, including a firm ban on using collected data to train artificial‑intelligence systems.
Key contract changes
The updated agreement requires the police department to notify the city before any request to disclose data captured by the automated license‑plate readers (ALPR). Harris said the language ensures the community stays informed about how its information is handled.
Transparency portal, but more is needed
In mid‑September the Las Cruces Police Department launched a public portal that shows how ALPR data is accessed and searched. While councilors praised the move as a step toward openness, they noted the portal only covers license‑plate readers. “It’s a welcome start, but it leaves out drones, live‑view cameras and other emerging tools,” Harris explained.
Proposed city‑wide surveillance ordinance
To address those gaps, Harris introduced a comprehensive surveillance‑technology ordinance. The proposal would require any new system – or continued use of an existing one – to meet strict privacy standards, including data‑retention limits, safeguards against misuse, cost‑benefit reviews, regular transparency reports and a period for public comment before council approval.
“There should be a process to review approvals of systems every couple of years, or more often if there are substantial software changes, so the community can decide rather than have invasive features forced by companies,” Harris said.
Councilor Bencomo’s concerns
District 4 Councilor Johana Bencomo echoed the call for stronger oversight. She highlighted worries about how the parent company, Flock, protects data from vulnerable communities. Bencomo noted that the system photographs only the rear of vehicles, does not employ facial detection, and does not provide live video feeds.
Out‑of‑state agencies that receive data must sign an affidavit promising to follow New Mexico protections related to immigration status, cannabis use and reproductive health care. “I continue to believe the data most protected is the data not collected,” Bencomo said, emphasizing the need for robust safeguards.
What the new portal will show
Bencomo suggested enhancements to the portal, such as listing which agencies receive network data, displaying the number of vehicles detected in the past 30 days, offering a downloadable audit of public searches, and linking directly to the department’s license‑plate reader policy.
Why these measures matter
Both councilors framed the effort as a matter of protecting families and upholding constitutional rights. By limiting AI training, requiring notification before data sharing, and demanding regular reviews, the city aims to keep surveillance tools from becoming tools of overreach.
“Instead of playing whack‑a‑mole with every technology or vendor, Las Cruces should be ahead of the curve with a robust policy for protecting our community’s safety and privacy,” Harris said.
Next steps
The ordinance will be placed on the agenda for the next council meeting, where public comment will be invited. If adopted, Las Cruces will join a growing number of municipalities that prioritize transparent, accountable use of surveillance technology while safeguarding the privacy of law‑abiding citizens.
Original reporting: Las Cruces Sun News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
