Contact the Mayor and Board of Supervisors: Oppose Removal of the Private Right of Action
Call your Mayor.
Call/Email Script
My name is __________. I am a constituent, and my zip code is _______. I am a member of Indivisible SF.
I oppose the removal of the private right of action from the 2019 Anti-Surveillance law. It is the only lever we have to hold SFPD accountable for department-wide violations of our right to guard against surveillance.
Background
The History
In 2019, the City passed an ordinance to require law enforcement to get the approval of democratically elected officials before they bought and used new spying technologies. In 2021, the Milk Club joined the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District and Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club in successfully opposing an attempt by the Castro CBD to install surveillance cameras around the Castro. In 2022, the California Legislature passed a law (AB 481, Chiu) imposing similar requirements on police agencies seeking to acquire or use military-grade equipment. So that means SF is surveillance and military equipment-free… right?
The Latest
In March 2024, despite AB 481’s requirement for a specific public outreach and approval process, SFPD purchased and began using drones without approval. SFPD suffered no consequences. Also in March 2024, the city began installing Automated License Plate Readers throughout the city. In September 2025, the San Francisco Standard broke the story that SFPD illegally allowed Georgia and Texas cops to search the city’s license plate reader data. SFPD has punted on further questions and suffered no consequences. Now, Sup. Dorsey — with Sups. Mandelman and Sherill cosponsoring — are seeking to remove the 2019 Anti-Surveillance Law’s private right of action, which allows people to sue the Department after it violates their privacy.
In other words: Removing the one lever we have to enforce this law when our leaders fail to do so.
What You Can Do
Call or email the Mayor and Board of Supervisors and let them know you oppose removal of the private right of action.