ARVIN, Calif. (KERO) — A town hall meeting was held in Arvin on Thursday to address community concerns regarding the Police Chief’s proposal to purchase and install security cameras around the city.
- On Thursday the Arvin Police Department held a Town Hall meeting to address community concerns regarding the Police Chief’s proposal to purchase and install surveillance cameras around town.
- Police Chief Alex Ghazalpour originally pitched this idea at the last regular City Council meeting but was rejected by the council due to the community’s concerns.
- Council member Jaime Perez and Mayor Protem Susana Reyes told me they think the cameras and the drone would be beneficial to the city and are leaning toward voting 'yes' on the item.
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The Arvin Police Department hosted a town hall meeting on Thursday to address the community concerns regarding the possible installation of safety cameras around the city. While some people expressed their support for the cameras, others say they’ll cause worry and fear.
At the last regular city council meeting, Arvin police chief Alex Ghazalpour proposed that the city council approve the purchase of 18 Flock Safety Cameras. But numerous residents expressed concern that the cameras are an invasion of privacy, and they said...what is to guarantee that the video gathered by police won't end up in the hands of ICE or the Border Patrol?
"This is basically handing the City of Arvin and all of the people in it over to ICE," said an Arvin resident.
That night, the city council rejected the chief's proposal leading Ghazalpour to host a town hall meeting informing the public about the cameras and an emergency response drone.
But the question about partnering with immigration authorities persists.
"Everybody is going to be scared to have those and think you are actually going to use them to give them to the border patrol," explained resident Eli Perez.
But according to Ghazalpour, that won’t be the case.
"This information does not get shared and for almost a two-plus year period now—please, I really want you all to understand that we have license plate readers already," said Ghazalpour.
Arvin resident and business owner Tranquilino Rojas, says he understands why people may be afraid but says even without cameras, immigration authorities are already in the county.
"The cameras won’t affect if they deport us to immigration officials or not," said Rojas. "People think the police department will work with those agencies, but I don’t believe that is the case."
The police chief points to this document, showing that Arvin is complying with state law and has not transferred anyone from its jail to immigration authorities.
"If Flock here was to assist ICE, I think, we’ll be the first ones protesting that we don’t want it," said Arvin PD Sergeant Edwin Jimenez.
After Thursday's town hall meeting, most community members seemed to be in favor of the cameras, saying the cameras would help reduce crime and help the police department handle calls faster.
"We should already be on top of this kind of technology. Cameras are everywhere. In fact, I think we need more than 18 cameras," said another resident Antonio Cervantes.
Like some of the residents present, council member Jaime Perez and Mayor Protem Susana Reyes told me they think the cameras and the drone would be beneficial to the city and are leaning toward voting 'yes' on the item.
The next regular city council meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, January 14th.
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