60 seconds each: San Jose City Council Mtg, March 10 2026 Public Comment re: Automatic License Plate Readers & Public Safety
LOTS of people, in addition to us, spoke out in favor of ALPR & in support of law enforcement.
sharing our 60 second speeches here:
ROBERT MICKANEN:
My name is Robert Mickanen and I am a member of the HTLC community, ( Hard Working, Tax Paying, Law Abiding, Contributor).
The HTLC community demands that City Council puts public safety first. Protect us from the same criminals violating the community over and over again. Repeat offenders take up the majority of our wonderful Law Enforcements time. Do not cut any funds from our Law Enforcement.
The city can save a lot of money by cutting most of the Homeless budget. While the city places criminals in Luxury Tiny Homes free of charge, we have members of the HTLC community leaving the city. These members of the HTLC community get no financial help, but the criminals do.
The State, the county, and the city jump through hoops, bend over backwards, and do cartwheels for criminals. This is just crazy.
We don’t see any public officials at any level speak out and put forth any kind of agenda to place the HTLC community above criminals.
All issues start at the city level. How awesome it would be if we had a council member advocating for public safety alongside us. All we hear from the city is Homeless criminals come first before the HTLC community. We dream of one day having someone represent our values of being safe from repeat criminals. Someone who will be tough on crime.
We have
heard from a gentleman running for governor, who shares our values in keeping
the public safe from criminals. His name is Chad Bianco. The HTLC community is
supporting Chad Bianco, because we feel he supports us.
SANDRA MICKANEN:
You need automatic
license plate readers to fight crime.
I am Sandra
Mickanen and
I want to
prevent a recent headline from being lost and forgotten in the abyss of news
& headlines:
Mario
Porter, a FIFTY ONE year old male, was arrested for kidnapping and sexually
assaulting a 15 year old girl on her way to school in San Jose, just two months
ago.
“THANK YOU!”
SJPD for your heroic and vital work in capturing and arresting this repeat predator;
Already a
convicted felon, with a track record of sexual assault on minors,
And,
assessed as above average risk of re-offending.
Did you keep
him in jail? NO
This
kidnapper and rapist was provided a safe home, a pet park, serenity room and
garden
With funding
from Governor Newsome’s homekey program.
He was
provided shelter at LifeMoves largest interim housing community on Branham.
Our tax
dollars went to helping this repeat kidnapper & rapist restart and rebuild HIS
life.
But instead,
to no ones surprise, he kidnapped and raped again,
And now his
victim will need to restart and rebuild her life.
To this
beautiful 15 year old girl.. We are so
sorry negligence, stupidity & greed cost you this way.
I too am a
survivor and I am here for you.
This
entirely preventable trauma, is only one of several reasons we are voting for
Chad Bianco for Governor.
We need,
desperately, to stop protecting criminals, and start supporting our law
enforcement.
ELVA WILSON:
My name is Elva Wilson, a 70 yr resident of D5, in San Jose. As VP of Beautify Berryessa Neighborhood Association, I’m here to show support of LPR technology.
As a Latina, today I learned that while my people represent 30% of SJ’s population, my odds of being the victim of violent crime is closer to 60%.
We have an understaffed police force. Less police means more crime. I have been the victim of crime, more than once, and was grateful that police had the tools necessary to bring those responsible to justice.
Misuse of LPR technology is a possibility as seen in a handful of cases around the country. Let’s use these few incidents as learning experiences to improve the technology. We can also improve the process by implementing the guardrails detailed in the Police Chief’s report to the Mayor and Council today.
Please support LPR technology. Please fund the SJPD Quality of Life Team.
TOM WILSON:
As the City’s population increases, partly due to the trending growth of high-density housing, the ratio of police officers to residents is declining at an alarming rate. And, since hiring, training and retaining officers has been problematic, I see no path forward other than using technology to help maintain law and order in the City.
LPR’s are not a perfect solution, and privacy concerns are valid to a degree. However, anyone using a smart phone is already being tracked and security cameras are everywhere.
LPR technology is relatively new, so issues are to be expected. But, if we don’t use it, we won’t be able to perfect it. The Police Chief’s recommendations to the Mayor address the privacy issues brought forth, and our elected leaders should vote for the continued use of LPR’s.
We’ll sleep easier knowing the police have the tools they need to protect the law-abiding citizens from the criminals.
posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 11:14 AM
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