The city’s Legislative Matters Committee recently reviewed the annual report on surveillance technology.

By Regina Arana

The Somerville City Council’s Legislative Matters Committee met on Tuesday, April 28, to go over the city’s annual report on surveillance technology. The meeting touched on transparency efforts but also raised some real questions about oversight and costs.

Ward 2 Councilor J.T. Scott chaired the meeting, which centered on the city’s 2025 Surveillance Technology Annual Report. The city is required to publish this document every year, which breaks down which surveillance tools are being used, how they’re being used, and any new data-sharing agreements that were entered into over the past year.

Scott made it clear from the start that the council’s job is to determine whether the benefits of these tools are worth the financial and operational costs.

Transparency was a big theme

City officials wanted people to know the report is meant to be accessible, not just a bureaucratic document buried somewhere. Councilor Ewen-Campen was especially positive about it, pointing out that it includes real data on tools like ShotSpotter, including how often it’s used, what evidence it’s helped recover, and any complaints filed.

He essentially said if you’re curious or worried about what the city is using, this report is a good place to start. Yasmin Radasi, from the Mayor’s Office, backed that up, saying the administration plans to keep putting it out every year and is open to working through any concerns with the council.

Digging into the details

Things got a bit more specific when councilors started asking about GrayKey, a digital forensics tool. Scott wanted to know whether the report captured the full picture of costs — specifically, whether training officers on the technology required overtime or additional staffing.

Police officials said two officers are trained on it and that most of the training happened online during regular hours, so no backfill was needed. But Scott wasn’t totally satisfied — he asked the department to hand over training materials and more details, saying it’s information the council should have access to.

What comes next

The committee has until May 31 to complete its review, after which the council will issue its own report on whether these surveillance tools should continue to be used. If something raises a red flag, they can push for changes — or even move to ban specific technologies through legislation.

The conversation is expected to continue as more items on the agenda get reviewed and public feedback comes in.