City Will Give Free Doorbell Cameras To Residents In SMC: Report

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — A Bay Area city will give residents free wireless doorbell cameras to deter crime and help police gather video evidence, according to a report by the Milpitas Beat.

The Milpitas City Council allocated $60,000 for the program to distribute one per household by the Milpitas Police Department, on a first-come, first-served basis.

The City Council unanimously approved the program on March 17. Officials selected a plan giving residents free cameras with no required subscription and at least 90 days of data storage.

“Public safety is my top priority, and this door camera initiative is about strengthening crime prevention right where it matters most — at home,” Council Member Evelyn Chua told the 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.”

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Chua stated she was inspired by researching a similar program in San Leandro last year.

A city report noted that the devices have functions similar to Ring cameras but avoid a monthly subscription fee, which lowers cost barriers and helps ensure footage remains accessible for investigations.

“It ensures that all distributed cameras can remain fully operational without recurring costs, reduces financial barriers to participation, and supports long-term program reliability,” according to the report. “Existing digital evidence upload procedures provide a workable method for obtaining footage when needed.”

The footage collected by the cameras will remain under the control of residents, Chua told the Milpitas Beat.

While programs of this nature have been widely adopted by law enforcement agencies, they have also sparked concerns among privacy advocates.

Police in San Jose, Santa Clara, and Milpitas have previously used Ring-related tools to expedite requests for footage from residents, according to a 2019 report by San Jose Inside.

The American Civil Liberties Union warns that video from devices like Amazon’s Ring may be accessible not only to homeowners but also to the company, law enforcement, and potentially hackers, depending on data storage and sharing.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has raised concerns about features like facial recognition and AI-powered video analysis, arguing that the footage records unconsenting passersby, including neighbors and children.

“Even with limited funding, we are committed to making this program successful,” she told the Milpitas Beat. “And we will advocate for additional resources, if needed, to keep our residents safe.”

Read the full story at Milpitas Beat.