Milpitas, the Bay Area city that calls itself the “Crossroads of Silicon Valley,” will offer residents free Amazon Ring doorbell cameras to deter crime.
Jessica Hill/Associated Press
Milpitas, the Bay Area city that calls itself the “Crossroads of Silicon Valley,” plans to give residents free wireless doorbell cameras under a new program aimed at deterring crime and helping police gather video evidence.
The City Council approved $60,000 for the effort, according to Milpitas Beat, which first reported the decision. The Milpitas Police Department will distribute one camera per household on a first-come, first-served basis.
Councilmember Evelyn Chua, who introduced the idea after learning about a similar effort in San Leandro, said the program was designed to strengthen crime prevention at the neighborhood level.
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“Public safety is my top priority, and this door camera initiative is about strengthening crime prevention right where it matters most – at home,” Chua told Milpitas Beat. “By equipping residents with tools and partnering closely with our Milpitas Police Department, we’re building a stronger connection between our community and law enforcement to help deter crime and protect our neighborhoods.”
Chua did not immediately respond to a request for additional details about the cameras Tuesday, when City Hall offices were closed for a holiday.
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Police plan to begin with a small batch of cameras and hold a public giveaway event, with additional distributions possible if demand is high.
A city report said the devices offer functions similar to Ring cameras but do not require a monthly subscription fee, reducing cost barriers and allowing footage to remain accessible for investigations.
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“It ensures that all distributed cameras can remain fully operational without recurring costs, reduces financial barriers to participation, and supports long-term program reliability,” the report said. “Existing digital evidence upload procedures provide a workable method for obtaining footage when needed.”
Programs like Milpitas’ have been embraced by many law enforcement agencies but have also drawn scrutiny from privacy advocates.
Police in San Jose, Santa Clara and Milpitas have used Ring-related tools to request footage from residents more quickly, according to a 2019 report by San Jose Inside.
Civil liberties groups warn that such systems can expand surveillance beyond the people who choose to install cameras.
The American Civil Liberties Union has cautioned that video collected by devices like Amazon’s Ring may be accessible not only to homeowners but also to the company, law enforcement and potentially hackers, depending on how data is stored and shared.
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The Electronic Frontier Foundation has raised additional concerns about features such as facial recognition and AI-powered video analysis, warning that footage can capture passersby — including neighbors and children — who never consented to being recorded.
The group has also pointed to past cases in which Ring employees and contractors were able to access user video, as well as partnerships that make it easier for police to request footage from users.
Despite those concerns, Chua told the Milpitas Beat that the city intends to move forward.
“Even with limited funding, we are committed to making this program successful,” she said. “And we will advocate for additional resources, if needed, to keep our residents safe.”
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