The San Diego Board of Supervisors is getting new members

A San Diego oversight board that evaluates how the Police Department and other city departments use surveillance technologies just got a much-needed infusion of new members.

On Tuesday, City Council members unanimously approved the appointment of three people and reappointed two existing members to the Privacy Advisory Board.

The nine-person watchdog has struggled since its inception in 2022 to attract and retain members. It was never fully staffed and was unable to hold meetings in April, June or July due to lack of membership.

The recent appointments bring the number of the group to seven and will allow members to return to work in September. There is a legislative recess in August.

The three new appointees are:

• Ted Womack Jr., the manager of civic engagement at Alliance San Diego, a grassroots community organization that seeks to support an inclusive democracy.
• Timothy Blood, a privacy and consumer protection attorney.
• Brett Diehl, an attorney who represents civil rights plaintiffs and criminal defendants in state and federal court.

The board also reappointed Pegah Parsi and Taura Gentry-Kelso as their terms had expired.

Several board members thanked the new appointees for being willing to volunteer on the board, noting the important work of the group. Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Ike Anyanetu, applauded the board for the additions.

“We heard directly from city council members and Police Chief (Scott) Wahl about the importance of transparency and oversight, so credit is due when action is taken,” Anyanetu said in an email Thursday.

City officials have acknowledged in the past that it’s a challenge to keep boards fully staffed — especially ones like the Privacy Advisory Board, which has specific rules about the types of people who can serve.

But some former privacy board members who chose to leave the group complained that they felt undermined and dismissed by the city groups they were supposed to be working with.

In April, officials said only six people had applied to join the watchdog in the past year.

Originally published: July 30, 2024 at 5:50 p.m