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Tompkins County Legislature votes to terminate Flock Safety contract, seeks alternatives for GIVE grant
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Summary
On April 14 the Tompkins County Legislature approved a resolution to terminate the county's contract with Flock Safety to avoid an automatic renewal, and discussed reallocating GIVE grant funds to license-plate readers and towable camera trailers while the sheriff pursues other options.
The Tompkins County Legislature on April 14 approved a resolution to terminate the county's contract with Flock Safety and to give the county attorney authority to notify the vendor before the contract's auto-renewal deadline, officials said.
County Attorney Maury Josephson, who presented the resolution, told the Legislature the contract is subject to automatic renewal unless timely notice is given and said the body must provide notice "on or before April 28" to prevent an additional two-year renewal. Josephson said the resolution expresses the Legislature's intent that the county will continue participating in the GIVE (Gun Involved Violence Elimination) program and, within the current grant year, reallocate any funds not spent on Flock toward other technology and non-technology strategies that meet the grant's parameters.
The vote followed brief discussion about whether changing the equipment requested in the county's GIVE application could jeopardize funding. A legislator who asked to speak in favor of the resolution said she supported the move but wanted to know whether the change could risk the grant award. Sheriff Derek Osborne, who had been invited to the meeting, said the GIVE application had been submitted by the police department before the meeting and that he "highly doubt[s]" the change will prevent the county from receiving funds.
Osborne described the county's interim and alternative plans. He said the county applied for standard license-plate readers already mounted on patrol vehicles ("we have 7 or 8 currently") so that work could proceed quickly, and that staff are obtaining quotes for towable camera trailers as a deployable option. He warned the trailers are "extremely expensive," citing a current quote of about $73,000 apiece; if purchased, the county might obtain one or two units and move them to hot spots as needed. Osborne also said the county could reallocate grant funds later in the grant year if necessary.
Some members raised concerns about community reaction and equity if surveillance devices are deployed only in certain neighborhoods. One legislator said she expected questions about targeting when trailers or focused LPR deployment appeared in specific areas; the Sheriff said the devices would likely be moved as needed rather than permanently stationed in a neighborhood.
The resolution was moved by legislator Travis Brooks and seconded by legislator Irene Weiser, and passed on a roll-call vote with 12 votes in favor and one vote opposed (Randy Brown). Following passage, the Legislature invited the Sheriff to remain for the rest of the meeting, then moved into an executive session later in the evening to discuss personnel matters; the body said no action would be taken on those matters immediately upon returning to open session.
What happens next: the county attorney and legislative leadership said they would issue the termination notice to Flock Safety if the resolution was approved, and the Sheriff said he would share more details about quotes, trailer feasibility and planned LPR use as information becomes available.
