Council declines to sign two‑year Flock Safety camera contract after privacy concerns
Loading...
Summary
Council considered a two‑year subscription for Flock Safety license‑plate cameras to monitor traffic near the roundabout and industrial corridor; debate centered on privacy and private company data practices. A motion to sign the contract (pending legal review) failed on a 2–3 roll call.
Town staff presented a proposed two‑year contract with Flock Safety to install solar‑powered license‑plate cameras at approach points to the new roundabout and other entry locations. The subscription would give the police department access to a national network of license‑plate reader (LPR) cameras and cost approximately $3,000 per camera per year.
Police and staff said the cameras are primarily an investigative tool, allowing officers to search for vehicles associated with incidents (hit‑and‑runs, thefts) and to access camera feeds used by neighboring jurisdictions and businesses. Presenters cited past cases they said were solved using LPR data.
During discussion several councilmembers raised principled concerns about private companies operating large vehicle‑tracking databases and the potential for generalized surveillance of residents who are not suspects. One councilor said they remain opposed on grounds of privatized policing and data commercialization; others voiced hesitation but noted potential investigative benefits. Staff noted that the system is subscription based and that equipment would be returned if the town chooses not to continue the service after the subscription.
A motion to sign the contract (pending legal review) was offered; a roll‑call vote resulted in a 2–3 defeat, and the council did not authorize the contract. Staff said they will document the discussion and revisit the topic if circumstances change.
What’s next: the town will not finalize the Flock Safety contract at this time; staff may bring additional information or legal review in the future should the council revisit the proposal.
