Surveillance shift: San Francisco pilots program allowing police to live monitor private security cameras

The trial would give law enforcement access to live footage by consenting residents, a departure from the city's previous stance

Last week San Francisco city leaders approved a 15-month pilot allowing police to monitor live footage from surveillance cameras owned by consenting businesses and civilians without a warrant.

The 7-4 decision by the San Francisco board of supervisors was a major loss for a broad coalition of civil liberties groups that had argued the move would give police unprecedented surveillance powers. It also seemingly marked a departure from the progressive stance on surveillance the city's leadership had previously maintained.