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Erie resident urges council to cancel Flock camera contracts, citing concerns about federal use
Summary
During public comment at the Aug. 19 meeting, resident Sam Fogelman urged the Town of Erie to cancel contracts with Flock Systems and remove town surveillance cameras, alleging (without documentary evidence presented at the meeting) they are being accessed by federal authorities to locate immigrants; council did not take action on the request that night.
At the start of the Aug. 19 special meeting, resident Sam Fogelman used the public‑comment period to urge the Town of Erie to cancel contracts with Flock Systems and remove the town’s network of Flock cameras.
Fogelman framed his plea as an urgent moral obligation. He said the systems “are being accessed by federal authorities to track immigrants into centers for the purpose of kidnapping them,” and urged Erie to remove the cameras and cancel contracts to prevent the town’s records from being used in such searches. He referenced national media reporting but did not present documentary evidence during his comment.
The council acknowledged Fogelman’s remarks but did not take any immediate action or direct staff to investigate during the Aug. 19 meeting. No staff report or legal briefing on Flock camera contracts was presented that evening.
The transcript records Fogelman’s primary request as: cancel the town’s contracts with Flock and remove all cameras. Council members and staff did not debate or rebut the factual claims during the meeting; the comment was recorded as public input for the council’s consideration.
