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Council members seek formal follow‑up on Flock camera oversight, call for statement and guardrails
Summary
Councilmembers asked that the council formalize a statement and add an agenda item to define oversight, metrics and guardrails for the city’s Flock camera program; they emphasized that the council is not reopening its prior decision to deploy the system but wants transparency and community reassurance.
Several councilmembers raised concerns in council comments about oversight and transparency for the city’s Flock camera program and urged the council to place a focused item on a future agenda to define oversight and policy guardrails.
Mayor Pro Tem Tim Walt and Council Member Murray said they appreciated the city manager and the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion staff for drafting a values statement and examining oversight options, but they asked that the elected council lead a public response and consider a formal statement from the council. Walt said the council should add follow‑up work on the oversight body’s membership and metrics to the agenda so the community would see how concerns are being addressed. Murray asked staff to add a council discussion item at the next council meeting so the council and public could consider proposals for oversight and transparency.
Speakers noted the council is not seeking to revisit the earlier vote that approved the program; rather, they asked for clarity on who will have access to camera data, what metrics and safeguards will govern sharing or retention, whether memoranda of understanding with outside agencies will have limits, and how community representatives will be included in oversight. The mayor pro tem suggested the council either adopt a council‑level statement or convert the manager’s statement into a council resolution; he also suggested the oversight group membership include community representatives who raised concerns.
Council Member Ryan asked staff to research examples and cost implications of different oversight models used elsewhere in the state. Several councilors stressed that any oversight or advisory body should be narrowly scoped to the specific uses of the camera system and should include measurable transparency elements and consequences for misuse.
Direction/next steps taken at the meeting: councilmembers requested staff place a focused agenda item on the next regular council meeting to consider a council statement or resolution of values, the composition and duties of an oversight group, and proposed policy/MOU adjustments that would provide transparency and guardrails. No formal policy changes were approved on the night of the meeting.
