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Agenda Item
5.3 26-0537 Subject: OPD Cellebrite Technology
From: Oakland Police Department
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution (1) Authorizing The City Administrator To Enter Into A Professional Services Agreement With Cellebrite, Inc. For The Provision Of Universal Forensic Extraction Devices And Related Services For The Oakland Police Department, For A Contract Amount Not To Exceed One Hundred Forty Thousand Dollars ($140,000) For The Period July 1, 2026, To June 30, 2027; (2) Waiving The Competitive Multistep Solicitation Process And The Local/Small Local Business Enterprise Program Requirements; And (3) Accepting The 2024 Cellebrite Annual Report And Making A Determination Regarding Whether The City Should Continue To Use This Technology
I strongly oppose the use of surveillance technology from Cellebrite. This is deeply unethical and there are far better ways to make our city safer. Why does the city want to throw money at this company while slashing funds for critical services that would be far more effective for making our city stronger and safer?
I strongly oppose the use of this surveillance technology that comes from an Apartheid Israeli government and has a track record of using data for oppression and violating privacy laws.
I strongly oppose working with Apartheid Israel surveillance programs such as Celebrate. We all deserve the right for human dignity and surveillance programs only impede on our right to privacy and harm Black, Brown, and poor communities. Let’s resource our communities and focus our attention what exactly is in the best interest of our communities!
I strongly support efforts to protect public safety by ensuring consistent enforcement of laws that protect the public. I do not trust that an outside firm, especially Cellebrite which is based in Israel, will protect the safety and privacy of people who live in Oakland. It is likely that this private corporation will exploit the power they are given and put our community in danger by selling data to entities who intend to harm our community, and given Cellebrite's country of origin, our data will likely be used to facilitate even more harm against innocent people in Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, and elsewhere. We absolutely should not be getting Israeli surveillance companies access to any information about members of our community in Oakland. There are better ways to protect public safety and this would do the opposite.
I strongly oppose the use of this and other similar technology. This company is known for not having any guardrails in place to protect people's data. They are also sharing this information with federal immigration authorities without consent. And, this technology has been proven over and over again to disproportionately impact Black and other communities of color. I strongly oppose this and urge City Council to reject this contract.
Please check the Mountain View city and their experience with similar companies. The data was used for surveillance and shared with the federal government without the city knowledge or consent. The Oakland city should assess the benefits versus the risks here. I have been working in privacy for 24 years, and as an industry expert, I can attest that these companies have no guardrails in place to protect the privacy of the city's residents. The regulations around privacy on the federal level are so thin that these companies are NOT obligated to invest in privacy-preserving technologies. I strongly advise against the contracts with ODP and Peregrine.
This is a flagrant overstep into privacy. It will chill civil protest against human rights violations in a time of rising facism and expose us to security flaws.
These are racist and oppressive surveillance technologies, that will only serve to further frighten the population and support global regimes of terror. Cellbrite, an Israeli firm, is actively contributing to the detainment of innocent Palestinians and assisting in the repression of journalists across the Middle East. At home, it’s being used by ICE in the kidnapping and deportation of our friends and neighbors. Peregrine is similarly problematic. Data has shown that it systematically over-reports crimes committed by Black people, reinforcing a racist system that tears apart families and communities.
The Oakland City Council has denounced the war on Gaza and committed itself to anti-racist practice. In alignment with those values, it’s imperative that you reject the use of these immoral technologies. Thank you.
This technology is used worldwide to surveil and repress citizens, journalists, and activists. Data shows its use in Oakland has been racially discriminatory. It will contribute to the erosion of civil liberties and civil rights.
I strongly oppose collaborating with surveillance programs tied to Apartheid Israel, such as Celebrate.
I strongly oppose the use of surveillance technology from Cellebrite. This is deeply unethical and there are far better ways to make our city safer. Why does the city want to throw money at this company while slashing funds for critical services that would be far more effective for making our city stronger and safer?
I strongly oppose the use of this surveillance technology that comes from an Apartheid Israeli government and has a track record of using data for oppression and violating privacy laws.
I strongly oppose working with Apartheid Israel surveillance programs such as Celebrate. We all deserve the right for human dignity and surveillance programs only impede on our right to privacy and harm Black, Brown, and poor communities. Let’s resource our communities and focus our attention what exactly is in the best interest of our communities!
I strongly support efforts to protect public safety by ensuring consistent enforcement of laws that protect the public. I do not trust that an outside firm, especially Cellebrite which is based in Israel, will protect the safety and privacy of people who live in Oakland. It is likely that this private corporation will exploit the power they are given and put our community in danger by selling data to entities who intend to harm our community, and given Cellebrite's country of origin, our data will likely be used to facilitate even more harm against innocent people in Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, and elsewhere. We absolutely should not be getting Israeli surveillance companies access to any information about members of our community in Oakland. There are better ways to protect public safety and this would do the opposite.
I strongly oppose the use of this and other similar technology. This company is known for not having any guardrails in place to protect people's data. They are also sharing this information with federal immigration authorities without consent. And, this technology has been proven over and over again to disproportionately impact Black and other communities of color. I strongly oppose this and urge City Council to reject this contract.
Please check the Mountain View city and their experience with similar companies. The data was used for surveillance and shared with the federal government without the city knowledge or consent. The Oakland city should assess the benefits versus the risks here. I have been working in privacy for 24 years, and as an industry expert, I can attest that these companies have no guardrails in place to protect the privacy of the city's residents. The regulations around privacy on the federal level are so thin that these companies are NOT obligated to invest in privacy-preserving technologies. I strongly advise against the contracts with ODP and Peregrine.
Thanks!
Iman
This is a flagrant overstep into privacy. It will chill civil protest against human rights violations in a time of rising facism and expose us to security flaws.
These are racist and oppressive surveillance technologies, that will only serve to further frighten the population and support global regimes of terror. Cellbrite, an Israeli firm, is actively contributing to the detainment of innocent Palestinians and assisting in the repression of journalists across the Middle East. At home, it’s being used by ICE in the kidnapping and deportation of our friends and neighbors. Peregrine is similarly problematic. Data has shown that it systematically over-reports crimes committed by Black people, reinforcing a racist system that tears apart families and communities.
The Oakland City Council has denounced the war on Gaza and committed itself to anti-racist practice. In alignment with those values, it’s imperative that you reject the use of these immoral technologies. Thank you.
This technology is used worldwide to surveil and repress citizens, journalists, and activists. Data shows its use in Oakland has been racially discriminatory. It will contribute to the erosion of civil liberties and civil rights.