Residents demand Flock cameras come down; Dayton commissioners promise independent audit and public hearings

Dozens of Dayton residents pressed the City Commission on surveillance and trust after speakers and advocates said the Dayton Police Department’s automated license-plate reader (ALPR) system had been used to query data for immigration enforcement. At a packed City Commission meeting, speakers demanded removal of the Flock ALPR cameras, cancellation of the city’s contract with the company Flock Safety and release of full audit logs dating back to 2020.

Community leaders described the disclosure — described by speakers as roughly 7,100 access requests tied to immigration-related searches during 2025 — as part of a pattern of misleading statements from the police department. "Cancel the contract with Flock, remove all the cameras, release all the audits," Julio Mateo told the commission. Several speakers described personal experiences they said showed surveillance and aggressive policing disproportionately harmed immigrant and Black residents.

Legal and advocacy groups joined the calls. Kathleen Kirsch, managing attorney of the immigration practice group at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE), urged the commission to hold a public hearing with sworn testimony, produce audit logs, and obtain copies of arrest reports linked to the period in question so families could understand the role data sharing may have played in immigration enforcement.

Commissioners and the city manager acknowledged the community’s anger. City Manager Shelly Dickstein said staff are compiling records the Police Department reviewed and that the department’s investigation is not complete. "We will work toward some of that release as has been discussed this evening," she said, adding that the department found more than 7,000 accesses to ALPR data and that staff will report back to the commission.

Commissioners said they support an independent review, immediate procedural changes and expanded outreach to affected neighborhoods. Commissioner Joseph called for an immediate shutdown of software and all readers while an independent review is conducted, and for the results to be reported directly to the commission. Others said the commission will pursue an independent audit, community meetings with partners such as ABLE, and a public process for reviewing findings and recommendations.

No formal vote to cancel the Flock contract or to remove cameras was taken during the meeting. The commission did, however, commit publicly to pursue a thorough, transparent investigation and to bring recommended next steps back to the commission for formal action. Residents said they will press for a sworn public hearing, immediate removal of cameras during the investigation and the release of audit logs to determine which outside agencies had access and when.

The commission scheduled additional community engagement, and the mayor said the body will work collectively to restore trust while complying with applicable legal and contractual obligations. The meeting concluded with an adjournment after commissioners reiterated the need for accountability and transparency.