City Council Meeting Summary, July 9, 2025

Published on July 14, 2025

City Council Limits Data Sharing of Automated License Plate Readers, Discusses Mutual Aid Policies, Approves $50K for Immigrant Aid 

The City Council requested the Culver City Police Department (CCPD) provide new public reports about mutual aid responses provided by CCPD to other agencies, or other agencies to CCPD, including the costs associated with those responses. CCPD will also update the language in its mutual aid policy, including making clear that it does not participate in immigration enforcement activity. CCPD will also provide a report about the last 2.5 years of mutual aid requests. The Culver City Fire Department will also provide a public report about its mutual aid activities since the start of 2025. 

CCPD is part of Mutual Aid Area A group, which includes the cities of Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood (LASD), and UCLA. Mutual aid requests are typically planned events, and their primary purpose is to enhance operational efficiency, public safety, and resource sharing. Mutual aid allows agencies to pool personnel, equipment, or expertise when one department lacks sufficient resources.  

Culver City Police Policy (438) and Culver City Resolution #2017- R025 prohibit CCPD personnel from assisting in the enforcement of federal immigration law. CCPD does not and will not provide mutual aid to Federal Immigration authorities for immigration enforcement operations as outlined by the CCPD policy, the Government Code, and California law. 

The City Council voted to suspend sharing data from its Flock Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) with any outside agency. CCPD will return to City Council every two months with reports on ALPR.  CCPD will make public additional information about ALPR data collected, adding to the existing ALPR data available on a CCPD webpage.  

The Culver City Police Department has an extensive policy specific to the Department's ALPR program. All data collected by ALPR is owned by CCPD and is not stored or retained beyond a period of 30 days, unless being used for an active criminal investigation.  

CCPD presented that it is estimated that vehicles are used in over 70 percent of crimes that are committed. ALPR systems function to capture a vehicle's license plate automatically, then compare the captured license plate number to one or more databases of vehicles of interest to law enforcement. The automated capture, analysis, and comparison of vehicle license plates typically occur within seconds and alerts CCPD. CCPD presented on the results of the use of ALPR within the last year, including: 134 arrests of suspects driving vehicles that were reported stolen, 26 arrests of individuals driving vehicles entering the City that were utilized in violent felony crimes including murder, armed robbery, armed carjacking, and assault with a deadly weapon, and numerous arrests of suspects found in possession of illegal items. According to CCPD’s presentation, ALPR cameras have been directly responsible for identifying over 60 vehicles and suspects involved in felony crimes committed in Culver City, leading to their apprehension, enhanced case clearance rates, and an overall 10% reduction in crime from 2023 to 2024. 

The City Council approved two grants totaling $50,000 to two Culver City non-profit organizations that assist immigrants impacted by recent federal immigration enforcement.  

The City will give $25,000 to the Culver-Palms YMCA and $25,000 to the Immigration Defenders Law Center (ImmDef). The Culver-Palms YMCA provides food and personal care items to all community members at weekly Thursday drive-thru events, as part of the Y’s regional FeedLA initiative. For those afraid to leave their homes due to immigration enforcement, they deliver these items to homes. They also provide an array of social services and legal referrals specifically geared towards recent immigrants. ImmDef is a social justice law firm that defends immigrant communities against injustices in the immigration system. ImmDef provides full-scale deportation defense, legal representation, legal education, and social services to approximately 30,151 detained and non-detained children and adults annually. 

Grant agreements will be prepared with the organizations which will include periodic reporting and earmarking of funds for Culver City residents, workers, and the families of students attending Culver City K-12 public and private schools.  

The City Council agreed to have the Culver City Planning Commission review proposals for the redevelopment of the former Martin B. Retting Gun Store building located at 11029 Washington Boulevard and make a recommendation to the City Council on the best proposal. On September 9, 2023, the City Council approved purchase of the property located at 11029 Washington Boulevard. Between 1953 and 2023, it was used as the Martin B. Retting gun shop. The City has repainted the exterior of the site and installed a fence to secure the parking lot. The City’s former Artist Laureate Katy Kranz installed a temporary mural project and a temporary mosaic project on the exterior of the building. The City of Culver City is accepting proposals through August 28, 2025.

The City Council agreed transitioning the Ad Hoc 2025 Police Policies Subcommittee to a Standing City Council Police Subcommittee, to allow for public participation in the meetings. Council Member Vera and Council Member Fish are the two members of the subcommittee, which is expected to meet approximately quarterly. 

Next City Council Meeting

The next regular meeting of the City Council will be on Monday, July 14th. Childcare is available for the meeting for families wanting to attend in person.