Jackson residents urge end to Flock license-plate program; town attorney to seek contract changes
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Summary
Two residents told the Town Council that Flock license-plate cameras create a ‘dragnet’ that violates privacy; the town attorney said she has sent redlined contract changes to Flock and expects to return proposals to the council by the first meeting in March.
Eric Dahl, a Jackson Hole resident, told the Town Council Feb. 2 that the town’s Flock license-plate camera program reduces people to “pins on a map” and amounts to “dragnet surveillance” that undermines community dignity. “The presence of Flock surveillance cameras in our town is wrong,” Dahl said, urging the council to end the contract and remove the cameras.
Garrett LeRoy, a local video producer, added that while he sees law enforcement utility, he opposed Flock because local government and private firms are not equipped to protect the location data the system generates. “I oppose Flock because we as a country, society, county, or town are not equipped to deal with the data that it generates,” LeRoy said.
In response, the town attorney told the council staff has engaged Flock about tightening privacy and data protections in the contract. “I have ... sent them a draft contract marked up with red lines,” the town attorney said, and indicated she expects to bring proposed contract edits back to the council at the first meeting in March for consideration.
The exchange did not produce a council vote on Flock; the attorney’s update framed the next procedural step as negotiation of contract language between the town and the vendor. The town’s next meeting was identified as the likely opportunity for council review of those proposed changes.
