ALPR funding in budget (19.a)

Called for ALPR and AI surveillance spending to be a separate, transparent budget line item with public oversight.

Asked the council to strip all ALPR funding from the budget and not renew contracts, citing wrongful arrests, civil liberties suits, and 200 cities that have dropped such contracts.

Demanded ALPR dollars be itemized separately and disclosed before any vote, citing privacy, discriminatory policing, and national security risks for clearance holders.

AI researcher argued plate readers are mass surveillance, hackable, and a national security risk for a city full of defense and space workers.

Thanked Meredith for the Flock forum and challenged the city's claims, saying HPD actually runs 400-500 cameras and doesn't control the data.

Cited LAPD's contract non-renewal and Lucas County, Ohio's audit showing thousands of out-of-state searches of Flock data as reasons to pause.

Defense AI engineering manager said the data is uncontrollable once it leaves the camera and offered his team's expertise to brief the council.

Noted no public supporter of Flock spoke at the forum or the meeting, and asked for amendments requiring a standalone vote or an outright ban.