More significant is that the PD now has to ask ahead of time in order to buy new toys. And the citizens’ committee has to approve it before it can even go to the council for a vote. The report is more in the nature of justifying that the initial outlay and any ongoing expense are worth it.
If the PD violates the rules, citizens can sue for money and get the information collected permanently removed as evidence. A number of lawyers in and around Oakland have an excellent track recod of winning suits against the city, council, and department, so this isn’t without teeth.
More troubling are the “temporary use” loophole for very large or sudden emergencies and no description that I can find of how the committee members are to be selected.
