Sebastopol is considering a major shift in its surveillance laws tonight, potentially easing some of the strictest privacy protections in Sonoma County.
According to the Press Democrat, the City Council is poised to amend an ordinance to allow police easier access to footage from privately owned security and doorbell cameras during investigations.
Currently, “ambiguity” in the law prevents the use of such footage without a council vote. The update would also let the department upgrade cameras at City Hall and the library without seeking repeated approval.
While the proposal streamlines traditional security footage, it preserves Sebastopol’s ban on facial recognition and still requires public hearings for high-tech tools like license plate readers.
The public hearing begins at 6:00 p.m. tonight at the Sebastopol Youth Annex.