DENVER — The City and County of Denver's Health and Safety Committee on Wednesday postponed its vote on the new proposed automated license plate reader camera contract with Axon Enterprise Inc.
City officials said they were asked to postpone the vote because the contract hadn't been presented to voting members of the committee.
"One of the things I want to insist upon is that that contract is received by Friday," said Councilman Darrell Watson, who represents District 9. "This has been a long process. We would like to get to voting on this, and we cannot without a contract."
Denver
Denver to hire new company for license plate readers as Flock contract expires
Councilman Kevin Flynn, who represents District 2 added to the conversation saying, "I would like it sooner, ASAP."
Despite the postponement, members of the committee heard a presentation on the contract, which revealed Axon is expected to operate 50 cameras within the City and County of Denver, as opposed to the more than 100 cameras still currently operated by Flock Safety.
Denver
Denver bans sharing of Flock camera data with the federal government
During Wednesday's presentation, city leaders also said Axon ALPR's will retain data for 21 days, which differs from the 30 days Flock Safety retains its data.
Denver7's Veronica Acosta asked Tim Hoffman, the mayor's policy director, if the reduction in the number of automated license plate reader cameras was a conscious decision by the mayor.
"It's part of being responsive to the community concerns that have been raised around the concerns of mass surveillance, and trying to balance that with the very, very real safety impact that these systems have in the city," Hoffman said. "So the Denver Police Department, working with council members and other folks, are going to look at the criteria for how we determine where those cameras go and where they're needed, and try to build out that map so that we are getting the coverage we need while also not over saturating any particular limitation."
Denver7 also asked Hoffman about logistics regarding the next ALPR technology in Denver and what jurisdictions will have access.
"We are closing off access to everyone but Denver safety personnel," he said. "Those are the only folks who will be able to access the Axon license plate reader system."
Despite the apparent changes in the proposed contract, some community members told Denver7 they're opposed to any kind of ALPR technology.
"Quite frankly, people don't want to be surveilled all the time. I don't want to be surveilled, and it's our right and I just don't think this is right," said Nate Kassa, an organizer with Denver's Party for Socialism and Liberation. "I think mass surveillance is mass surveillance, and 50 cameras surveilling us versus 100 cameras surveilling us, I think it's both mass surveillance."
Meantime, those like Anaya Robinson, the public policy director for the ACLU of Colorado, say they wish the city's surveillance task force had more of a say in which company got the bid.
"I think it's unfortunate that the mayor set up a surveillance task force, theoretically, to have these discussions about what vendors to choose, what those contract terms need to look like, all of those things," Robinson said. "Unfortunately, in regards to this particular contract with Axon, that information wasn't really brought to that task force until after the decision was already made."
When it comes to Flock Safety cameras, Denver Police Department Deputy Commander Cliff Barnes, who works with the department's Cyber Bureau, told committee members those cameras have a so-called decomission mode which will be activated once the contract is over on March 31.
Barnes said DPD is working with Flock Safety to determine when it will remove the devices.
He added DPD is still working to determine where the 50 Axon cameras will be placed.
The Health and Safety committee is expected to take up the contract for a vote on March 18. If it passes, it will then head to full city council.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.