MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS UPDATE | Columbia Heights Police Seek Residents for New Technology Advisory Committee

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, MN (August 27, 2026) The Columbia Heights Police Department is recruiting community members for a newly established Technology Advisory Committee intended to provide public input into the department’s use of technological tools.

Applications will be accepted through September 20.

According to the city, the committee will provide structured community insight into the planning, implementation and evaluation of police technology.

The department said the committee is intended to strengthen transparency, support responsible innovation and build community trust.

The committee’s creation follows a sustained public debate over automated license-plate readers and other surveillance technologies.

In June, the Columbia Heights City Council voted to terminate the city’s contract with Flock Safety after residents raised concerns about privacy, data retention, information sharing and access by outside law-enforcement agencies.

The city had operated 12 Flock cameras. Police officials defended their investigative value, but council members ultimately determined that the public concerns justified ending the program.

MinneapoliMedia reported at the time that Mayor Amáda Márquez Simula had expressed interest in creating a citizens’ technology committee to give residents a continuing role in evaluating public-safety technology.

The current recruitment announcement moves that proposal into implementation.

The city’s announcement does not identify the number of appointments, term lengths, meeting schedule or eligibility requirements beyond seeking community participants. Those details may be included in the application materials.

Residents interested in serving may access the application through the city’s official announcement.

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