The San Diego Police Department said it will no longer allow officers to select a generic “other” field as the reason for searching the department’s Automated License Plate Reader system.

The announcement came Tuesday during a meeting of the San Diego City Council’s Budget and Government Efficiency Committee, where members discussed ending the city’s contract with Flock Safety.

The push to terminate the contract, which could potentially end the license plate reader program, comes amid growing controversy over the surveillance technology.

Committee members cited concerns that federal immigration agents could access San Diego’s license plate reader cameras for enforcement purposes, as well as questions about the technology’s accuracy.

As first reported by Times of San Diego, a San Diego man was falsely linked to an attempted carjacking because he drove the same type of vehicle as the suspect, despite being five miles away when the crime occurred.

Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera criticized the surveillance program and what he described as a lack of transparency, pointing specifically to officers’ use of “other” as the reason for conducting thousands of searches.

According to data analyzed by Times of San Diego, officers searched the license plate reader system 114,692 times this year, selecting “other” as the reason for nearly 4,000 of those searches.

Responding to Elo-Rivera’s concerns, an SDPD spokesperson appearing remotely said the department will eliminate “other” as a search category.

The committee voted to draft an ordinance to end the contract.

After the meeting, Mayor Todd Gloria criticized the vote and efforts to eliminate what he called an important crime-fighting tool.

“Automated License Plate Readers are helping San Diego police solve serious crimes, recover stolen vehicles and property, and locate missing people,” Gloria said. “Taking this proven tool away from our officers would be a serious mistake and a step backward for public safety.

“Elected leaders shouldn’t be making life easier for criminals,” said Gloria. “We should be making it easier for our constituents. That’s why I urge the full City Council to preserve this important public safety tool and allow the established oversight process to work.”

The full City Council will make the final decision at a future hearing.