Boston Council Surveillance Hearing Draws Warnings Over Federal Data-Sharing Risks

BOSTON — August 11, 2025 — Boston City Council surveillance hearing spotlights federal data-sharing risks tied to 19 active BPD technologies. The Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice, chaired by Councilor-at-Large Henry Santana, held the first of three hearings Monday under the Surveillance, Oversight, and Information Sharing Ordinance, with votes on proposed new technologies due by August 27. Superintendent Paul McLaughlin walked the council through four case examples crediting body-worn cameras, ShotSpotter, and the Flock automated license plate reader trial with solving crimes including an eight-robbery scooter series and a juvenile kidnapping resolved within one hour. Civil liberties panelists pushed back sharply: the ACLU's Cade Crawford called for data-driven accounting of technology effectiveness rather than anecdotes, and Digital Fourth co-chair Julie Bernstein cited Oakland Privacy Commission data showing 70 percent of Boston ShotSpotter activations are unfounded. Muslim Justice League Executive Director Fatima Ahmed, testifying virtually, charged that BPD deployed social media surveillance tools before receiving council authorization and said BRIC's FBI and ICE HSI task force memberships fall outside Trust Act protections. Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, pressing panelists on whether any written policy prevents BPD from sharing data with the FBI in politically motivated investigations with no Massachusetts nexus, received confirmation from Crawford that no such policy exists.