On Friday, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the deployment of hundreds of advanced surveillance cameras in the city of Oakland. This move comes in response to various incidents of crime in the city that are gaining increasing visibility.
Officials hope that the installation of these cameras will provide authorities with the ability to track crime suspects’ vehicles in real time.
Newsom Statement
In a statement published March 29th by the governor’s office, Newsom outlined what he called a “high-tech camera network.”
The statement goes on to describe the hope that the installation of these high-tech cameras will provide law enforcement with “real-time information and alerts” critical to identifying criminal vehicles.
480 Cameras
Newsom announced that this camera network would contain 480 cameras and would be deployed in Oakland and the East Bay area.
“With the installation of this 480 high-tech camera network, we’re equipping law enforcement with the tools they need to effectively combat criminal activity and hold perpetrators accountable — building safer, stronger communities for all Californians,” Newsom said.
Holding People Accountable
The mayor of Oakland Sheng Thao was also quoted in the statement thanking Newsom and California Highway Patrol.
“This new camera network will help us stop crime and hold more suspects accountable. On behalf of all Oaklanders, I want to thank the Governor and the California Highway Patrol for their ongoing commitment and investments in the city,” said Thao.
California Highway Patrol
The commissioner of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Sean Duryee, also weighed in on the camera network, making the CHP’s commitments known.
Duryee said “Working alongside all our law enforcement partners, the California Highway Patrol is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all Californians. These sophisticated cameras will make an important difference — and make the entire East Bay region safer.”
Patented Technology
The statement spells out the benefits these cameras will have to various government authorities and agencies.
“The camera network will use a patented technology that allows law enforcement agencies to identify vehicle attributes beyond license plate numbers, enabling the CHP, the Oakland Police Department, and allied agencies to search for vehicles suspected to be linked to crimes and receive real-time alerts about their movement,” the statement said.
Crime Problem
The city of Oakland has been undergoing a spike in various types of crimes recently. In January, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that violent incidents in Oakland rose by 21% in 2023. The number of robberies in the city skyrocketed by 38% and the number of burglaries by 23%.
For two years in a row, Oakland had 120 homicide cases. According to the Chronicle report, one in every 30 Oakland residents had a car stolen in 2023.
Resident Fears
People living in Oakland are afraid of the growing incidents of theft, violence, and other crimes in the city. Groups of safety advocates and business owners have in the past called for a strike after being fed up with the growing amount of thefts taking place in recent months.
Some residents are afraid that this latest spike in crime will come to be associated with the city’s reputation in the minds of Californians and other Americans.
Newsom’s Actions
Governor Newsom has taken previous actions to provide support to the residents of Oakland. In February, he announced the deployment of an additional 120 CHP officers. This move came in response to local business owners begging for help in tackling the problem.
“What’s happening in this beautiful city and surrounding area is alarming and unacceptable,” Newsom said.
Damaging Oakland
Nigel Jones is a resident who runs a community food center for low-income families. His food center was vandalized and the glass doors to the center were smashed. Jones is concerned about the string of incidents encouraging people to leave the area.
“Residents and businesses have pulled back from the city,” Jones said.
Camera Criticism
Opponents of this latest Newsom camera announcement are worried about how it will invade residents’ privacy. There are also questions about how this camera system will impact the policing of minority communities, who sometimes feel they are unfairly policed.
A 2016 study by Stanford found racial disparities in the way Oakland Police conducted itself, saying “thousands of data points found racial disparities in how Oakland Police Department officers treated African Americans on routine traffic and pedestrian stops.”
Delicate Dance
The spike in Oakland crime and other areas in California has put Democrats like Newsom in a precarious position. These Democrats must find a way to strike a balance between maintaining public safety and avoiding “crime crackdowns” and a reliance on police that their Democrat base doesn’t have an appetite for.
Recently, In-N-Out Burger closed its only restaurant in Oakland due to property damage and theft. It was the first restaurant closure in the company’s 75-year history.
