RICHMOND, Calif. (KRON) — The Richmond City Council is set to vote on whether to re-activate “Flock” cameras. In the East Bay, the debate over Flock cameras — a more advanced surveillance and license plate reader surveillance system — is ramping up.
On Tuesday morning at Richmond City Hall Plaza, community members called for the city to restart flock surveillance cameras, license plate readers and first responder drones to increase public safety.
”I live in the Iron Triangle neighborhood, where most shootings and homicides have occurred here in the city, and many of those remain unsolved,” said 23rd Street Merchants Association President Oscar Garcia. “On a more personal note, my mother was recently hit by a car on her way to church. This is very frustrating that we’re sitting here where all of these crimes remain unsolved, and they could have all been solved with the use of the cameras.”
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Supporters of Flock cameras in Richmond rally outside City Hall on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
In the past, some opponents worried that the surveillance cameras would not be used to ward off criminals. Instead, opponents claim the cameras violate people’s privacy after it was found that outside agencies were accessing the data.
But now, the combination of license plate readers and real-time notification with law enforcement is gaining support once again — especially from Brenda Grisham, who is with East Bay Alliance for Public Safety and says it is for the victims.
“The families, the young ladies that are being trafficked, the business owners,” Grisham said. “Each and every day, someone is being traumatized because of violence. So, if we can get the cameras in Richmond, like we do in other cities around the bay, that will be great because it will give them a level of calmness.”
Advocates such as Richmond city councilmembers argue that police have a hard time keeping up with crime — noting that cameras would aid an already disadvantaged police force.
”It takes us a lot longer because the issues are not just the cameras, but also the lack of police,” said Richmond City Councilmember Cesar Zepeda. “We are not fully staffed, and the staff that we do have are working overtime. So if you’re a criminal, this is the place to be, unfortunately.”