Q&A
Council Member Brewer questions DOI Commissioner on surveillance technology oversight
0:48:48
·
3 min
Council Member Gale Brewer engages in a Q&A session with DOI Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber, focusing on various aspects of surveillance technology oversight. The discussion covers collaboration with CCRB, AI-driven technologies, lithium battery safety, and the DOI's approach to handling non-compliance with their recommendations.
- Brewer inquires about DOI's collaboration with CCRB on surveillance technology issues
- Questions are raised about oversight strategies for AI-driven surveillance technologies
- The conversation touches on lithium battery safety concerns in relation to surveillance equipment
- Brewer asks about DOI's handling of NYPD non-compliance with recommendations and potential future technologies
Gale Brewer
0:48:48
Thank you.
0:48:49
Council Member Williams, you have questions about DOI?
0:48:52
PD later on.
0:48:53
Council Member Hosse, is it on DOI?
0:48:57
Okay.
0:48:57
Council member Palladino, did you on on this go ahead.
0:49:04
This is on on in on DOI.
0:49:07
PD is later on.
0:49:15
Alright.
0:49:15
So I have I do have a question while we're checking on that.
0:49:17
One is with CCRB, obviously, I know you have different roles.
0:49:22
I'm quite familiar with that.
0:49:23
But is there a way that the, your agency collaborates with, like CCRB on issues of surveillance technology?
Jocelyn Strauber
0:49:35
You know, we make referrals, as you know, of of certain types of complaints that we receive to CCRB.
0:49:40
I'm I'm not aware that we're actively working with CCRB on matters related to surveillance technology.
0:49:46
I could try to find out more about that.
0:49:47
Not that I'm aware of.
Gale Brewer
0:49:48
Okay.
0:49:49
And then, the other question I have with AI driven surveillance technologies, I don't know if that's a new technology in this, arena.
0:49:58
It's obviously much broader than any of the, types of technology that you discussed, Ghosso.
0:50:05
How do you plan to adopt its oversight strategies to keep up with that kind of development?
0:50:10
Again, different kind of technology.
Jocelyn Strauber
0:50:12
Yeah.
0:50:13
You know, I don't know that that our approach would be any different than than it currently is, right, which is to see what the policies are, how the technology is used, and if we see a potential for abuse,
Tiffany Cabán
0:50:23
we would we would look
Jocelyn Strauber
0:50:24
at it from that perspective.
0:50:25
I don't have a particular strategy with respect to AI oversight.
Gale Brewer
0:50:29
Alright.
0:50:30
And also, you mentioned lithium batteries, one of my favorite topics.
0:50:33
My question is how does that, if at all, fit into this discussion?
0:50:38
We have lithium batteries on the cameras.
0:50:40
We have lithium batteries on the e bikes.
0:50:42
We have lithium batteries elsewhere.
0:50:44
Is that something that would fit into post act?
Jocelyn Strauber
0:50:47
Yeah.
0:50:48
I mean, to to us, that's a health and safety issue.
0:50:50
Right?
0:50:50
There are obviously we've we've done reports on this with with regard to e bikes.
0:50:54
There's substantial public concern about safety with respect to lithium batteries.
0:50:58
It's one of the reasons we felt that the drone IUP should make greater disclosures or some disclosures about the health and safety risks.
0:51:06
And we've made that recommendation with respect to other technology as well that use lithium batteries.
Gale Brewer
0:51:11
Okay.
Cynthia Conti-Cook
0:51:11
So that's how it fits.
Gale Brewer
0:51:12
And if, the police department fails to comply with your recommendations regarding surveillance technology, it's like many other things, we're not quite sure what to do.
0:51:22
How do you think we should be handling that, or how do you handle that?
Jocelyn Strauber
0:51:25
Well, we have an ongoing process with the police department.
0:51:28
So as I mentioned, a recommendation that was initially rejected, we maintain an ongoing dialogue.
0:51:33
And, so so one one hope is that through conversations and discussion, we can change minds on things.
0:51:38
There's also obviously, you know, the council has has taken on a number of our recommendations here that were rejected.
0:51:45
And there's also obviously, you know, the the the public value of our reports so that people know what we've what we've recommended that's out there and, you know, and that the department has declined to comply with it.
Gale Brewer
0:51:56
And just finally, are there other technologies coming down the road either that you've heard about internationally or nationally that police department could be so that using so that it's more proactive, or do we wait to see what comes from NYPD?
Jocelyn Strauber
0:52:12
I mean, I'm sure there are many.
0:52:13
I I can't say that I'm in a position to say whether there are any that that should be used.
0:52:18
I think we'll see what happens.
Gale Brewer
0:52:19
Okay.
0:52:19
Thank you very much, mister chair.
0:52:21
I'll turn it back to you.