Camera-Equipped ‘Smart’ Streetlights Spark a Privacy Standoff

A homicide detective looked up from the scene of a fatal shooting in San Diego’s Gaslamp District in August 2018 and saw something unusual: The streetlight glowing overhead didn’t look like a normal streetlight.

That’s because it wasn’t. The LED light on the pole was also equipped with an optical sensor. As it illuminated the city, it was capturing 24-hour video footage of the scenes beneath it.

“We had no idea what the quality of video would be, or what it would capture,” said Jeffrey Jordon, who leads special projects and legislative affairs for the San Diego Police Department. “The first time ...