Chemung County committee approves lease for Flock cameras amid questions about scope of use

The Corrections and Law Enforcement Committee on Oct. 25 approved a resolution authorizing a lease agreement with Flock Group for the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office to install automated camera systems in high‑traffic and suspected drug‑traffic areas, with the project funded in part by a fentanyl enforcement grant.

The committee’s discussion focused on how the cameras will be used and which agencies could access the footage. A committee member asked whether the grant is state or federal and whether other agencies — including federal immigration authorities — could access the cameras. A county official representing the Sheriff’s Office said the funds and deployment are directed at slowing the influx of fentanyl and supporting local drug enforcement, and denied any plan to use the cameras for immigration enforcement.

“We are not using it for any trying to get people out of the country. We’re using it for fentanyl because we’re also trying to use some of that money to buy a dog for the Elmira Police Department,” the county official said, adding the county is considering placing cameras outside hotels and other known high‑traffic locations.

Committee members also discussed that the camera purchase and lease draws from a one‑time fentanyl grant (mentioned in the meeting as $200,000 in available funds). The county official said part of those funds would also go toward a drug dog for Elmira Police Department because the city currently lacks one and has a high caseload.

Several committee members noted the cameras have been used by other agencies in Elmira and state police have requested footage in at least one ongoing criminal investigation; one committee member described using footage from similar systems to track a vehicle’s movement for prosecution.

The motion to approve the lease was moved and seconded and carried without recorded roll‑call tallies.

The resolution is recorded as authorizing a lease agreement with Flock Group on behalf of the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office. The committee discussion did not produce a formal restriction on interagency access to footage and did not specify operational privacy or retention procedures.

Committee action: motion passed.