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Public warns county about Flock Safety cameras; county attorney says state law bars AI surveillance of public places

Butte-Silver Bow Council of Commissioners (Committee of the Whole) · January 29, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Residents urged caution and cybersecurity review before any procurement of Flock Safety cameras; County Attorney Enruth told the council that Montana law (HB 178 and MCA 44‑15‑104) prohibits government use of continuous AI facial recognition or persistent AI surveillance in public spaces.

Three residents who identified themselves and several commissioners discussed AI‑powered surveillance camera systems often marketed as license‑plate recognition tools. Speakers described cybersecurity and privacy concerns, and the county attorney said state law limits the county’s authority.

Lede: Nathan Bowman and other public commenters warned that solar‑powered AI camera systems gather sustained location and biometric data and urged the council to require cybersecurity audits, public comment and cost‑staffing analyses before any purchase by local government.

Context: Multiple commenters — including Jason…

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