While California Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered residents to shelter in place to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, local Bay Area law enforcement agencies are requesting new privacy-invading devices and major budget increases. On March 24, the Vallejo City Council voted unanimously to purchase a cell site simulator for the Vallejo Police Department. On the same day, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors were scheduled to vote on a surprise $85 million per year additional budget allocation for Alameda County Sheriff's Office staff at Santa Rita Jail.

The Vallejo City Council voted to approve the purchase of $766,000 cell site simulator without significant discussion. Captain Potts, who oversees the Crime Reduction Team for Vallejo Police Department, said that the cell site simulator does not interrupt cell phone service, which seems to indicate that he does not know how the technology works. Vallejo PD claims to have a usage policy, but it just wasn’t provided as part of the agenda material, so the City Council hasn’t seen it. The chief says the policy includes a usage log that will be posted publicly and annual reporting.

After word got out about the Alameda County Sheriff's request for a budget increase, community pressure quickly built and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors rescheduled the vote to the next meeting on Tuesday, March 31. Police accountability activists are urging the public to contact supervisors and demand that they vote to reject the request.

Read More: In The Pandemic, Vallejo PD Buys $750K Cell Site Simulator | Alameda County Sheriff's Office Makes Surprise $85 Million Request for Santa Rita Jail | Oakland Privacy | Anti Police-Terror Project

See Also: ACSO Requests $255M in New Funding; COVID-19 Reaches Santa Rita Without Plans in Place

Related Features: California on Coronavirus Lockdown | Civil Rights Violations Never End with Vallejo Police | Court Support for Dejuan Hall, Brutally Beaten by Vallejo Police | Police Brutality Captured on Video in Vallejo, California | Women Win Santa Rita Jail Changes After Civil Disobedience Arrests