On the agenda: The return of Flock, immigration updates & park improvements

The Richmond City Council will meet on Tuesday for a packed session that includes updates on immigration enforcement protections, a police surveillance contract renewal, and a series of park improvements, alongside routine budget reviews and consent calendar business.

The fight over Flock cameras returns

Richmond police are asking the city council to reinstate an automated license plate reader system that was shut down last fall after officials discovered that a software feature had inadvertently shared the city’s vehicle data with outside agencies.

Chief Timothy Simmons turned off the Flock Safety ALPR system in October 2025 after learning a “national lookup” feature had created a reciprocal data-sharing arrangement that allowed agencies outside Richmond to access local plate data during searches. The configuration violated city policy and California law.

Simmons is now recommending that the council restore the system, citing a roughly 33 percent surge in vehicle thefts since the cameras went dark.

Between April 2023 and November 2025, the system assisted in 274 arrests, the recovery of 259 stolen vehicles, and 911 criminal investigations, according to department figures.

But not everyone is eager to flip the cameras back on.

Councilmember Sue Wilson, who opposed a $1 million Flock camera expansion a year ago, said her concerns have been justified.

“I was not comfortable adding this much new surveillance technology to the city at precisely the moment that the Trump administration is enacting bold attacks on immigrants, people of color, the LGBTQ community,” Wilson wrote in a recent newsletter. Wilson noted that one of the new cameras ended up installed at the end of her own block.

Flock Safety, the Atlanta-based vendor, reportedly turned off the national lookup feature for all California agencies and blocked out-of-state data sharing to comply with state law. A July 2025 update also blocks immigration-related search terms, a nod to California’s sanctuary laws.

The council is set to vote Tuesday on two options: fully restoring the ALPR system alongside existing drone and CCTV programs, or keeping the plate readers off while those other programs continue and the department explores alternative vendors.

Council duo pushes children’s bike garden at Cheese Park

A children’s bike garden may be coming to Richmond’s Cheese (La Moine) Park if a proposal before the city council gains traction.

The skills course, which would teach young riders safe cycling habits, is among several improvements outlined in the March 3 agenda report for the park — the only community green space serving residents east of Interstate 80. The concept was developed with input from Bike East Bay, a local nonprofit that would potentially partner with the city on design, programming, and safety education.

La Moine Park (Cheese Park) Bike Education Park concept drawing.

Bike East Bay provided example concepts and renderings to support the proposal, which envisions a dedicated space where children can develop riding confidence in a controlled environment.

The bike garden is part of a broader improvement package that includes permanent restrooms, a drinking fountain, and the restoration of the playground. If the resolution is adopted, city staff would be directed to explore funding through the FY 2026–27 capital improvement budget.

The proposal was co-sponsored by Councilmembers Soheila Bana and Claudia Jimenez.

Richmond lays out its immigration defenses

City Manager Shasa Curl and City Attorney Shannon Moore will present an initial report on Tuesday detailing Richmond’s ongoing and planned efforts to safeguard residents from ICE raids and other federal civil immigration actions. The presentation comes as cities throughout California have been reviewing and strengthening their sanctuary policies amid legal challenges from the federal government.

Richmond has a large immigrant population and has long positioned itself as a welcoming city. Advocates are expected to attend Tuesday’s meeting and push for stronger commitments. The item is described as an initial briefing, suggesting additional policy proposals could follow in subsequent meetings.

What a piece of paper could do for autism safety

Councilmember Cesar Zepeda is asking the council to direct the city manager to create a Blue Envelope Program that provides enrolled residents with an envelope containing information about their diagnosis and instructions for first responders on how to best interact with them. A promotional campaign to educate officers about the program would accompany the rollout, which Zepeda is targeting for April, coinciding with Autism Awareness Month.

Similar programs have been adopted across the country as a low-cost way to improve safety outcomes for a population research shows faces heightened risk during law enforcement encounters.

SAFE Center has a party planned

Councilmember Bana is asking the city to co-sponsor a free Asian American and Pacific Islander community celebration at the Richmond Auditorium on Saturday, May 2, 2026, during nationally recognized AAPI Heritage Month.

The SAFE Center is the primary organizer, handling food, event logistics, and required city and county permits. Programming is expected to include cultural exhibits, educational activities, and community engagement. Event hours have not yet been announced.

The fiscal impact of facility use and staff time has not been determined. Additional community and business co-sponsors are still being identified. The council has taken no previous action on the item.

Council eyes $8.2 million surplus

The Richmond City Council will consider how to allocate $8.2 million in unspent funds from the 2024–25 fiscal year, even as the city ran an operating deficit.

City staff reported that the General Fund ended the year with revenues of $233.7 million and expenditures of $248.1 million, resulting in a $14.4 million shortfall. Despite the deficit, the city maintained a General Fund reserve of $62.8 million, about 24.2 percent of next year’s budgeted spending, exceeding the city’s 21 percent policy target by $8.2 million. The city spent more than it collected, but prior reserves keep funds available for one-time projects.

Officials propose directing $6.32 million toward Complete Streets improvements, $250,000 for environmental monitoring at Point Molate, and setting aside $821,368 each for the city’s Pension and OPEB Section 115 Trusts to support long-term retirement obligations.

Council members will also receive the city’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Auditors from Badawi & Associates gave unmodified opinions on most city funds but issued a disclaimer on the Richmond Housing Authority and related entities because their financial statements for recent years are still under review.

City officials said the deficit reflects higher personnel and public safety costs, but the city’s fund balance remains above the policy-required reserve level.

The council will also approve a wide range of routine items grouped under the consent calendar, typically in a single motion without debate.

On the public safety front, the Police Department is seeking approval to purchase 125 expandable batons from Peacekeeper Products International at a cost not to exceed $32,000, and to enter a sole-source contract worth up to $41,431 with Carahsoft Technology Corp for a GrayKey forensic evidence extraction device. GrayKey is used to unlock iOS and Android devices and extract data for digital forensic investigations.

The Economic Development Department is bringing forward two items. The council will consider a $225,000 combined contract with Gordon Huether & Partners and Sonnikson Inc. for the design, fabrication, and installation of a public art sculpture. Separately, staff is requesting approval of a three-year, $2.25 million agreement with STAX Engineering to deploy a California Air Resources Board-approved emissions control barge at the Port of Richmond, an effort aimed at reducing air pollution from port operations.

On the community services side, the council will consider accepting a $137,058 California State Library grant for adult and family literacy programs through the city’s library division and approving an expanded contract with Commercial Titan Wrap to apply vinyl wraps to Community Crisis Response Program vehicles, bringing that contract to just over $23,000.

The Community Development Department is seeking final adoption, on second reading, of two ordinances: one updating the city’s building codes to conform with the 2025 California Building Standards Code, and another tightening regulations on tobacco retailers by capping the number of licenses at 50, adding restrictions on flavored tobacco products, and enhancing enforcement tools to protect against sales to minors.

The Information Technology Department is requesting a $249,610 amendment to its contract with Intuitive Municipal Solutions for ongoing configuration and support of the city’s community development and land management enterprise system, bringing the total contract value to just over $2 million.

The Finance Department is seeking council approval to place liens on Contra Costa County property tax records for residents with unpaid garbage collection fees, and to update authorized signatures on the city’s Local Agency Investment Fund accounts.

The City Attorney’s Office is asking for a $50,000 increase to its contract with Ellis Investigations for confidential personnel investigations, bringing the total to $250,000.

Public Works is seeking approval to purchase irrigation supplies from Heritage Landscape Supply Group and Blue Angel International LLC on an as-needed basis over three years, not to exceed $150,000.

From the Mayor’s Office, the council will consider proclamations designating March 9, 2026, as Tibetan National Uprising Day and honoring Nicolas Traylor for his service as executive director of the Richmond Rent Program. The council will also vote on reappointing Ode Kunthar to the Richmond Youth Council.

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