Columbus council presses police on surveillance tools, approves gunfire‑detection renewal

Council members spent more than an hour pressing police leaders about the city’s use of automated surveillance technologies before voting to renew a gunfire‑detection contract.

The public‑safety and criminal justice committee chair, Council Member Remy, opened the discussion by acknowledging public concern about tools such as ShotSpotter and Flock and said the council expected improved oversight. “If our Flock systems are being used inappropriately by federal enforcement or any other agencies to enforce immigration law or to infringe on civil liberties, then that is entirely unacceptable and I will bring legislation to curb their use,” Remy said.

Deputy Chief Tim Meyers told council the division has taken multiple steps to tighten control and transparency. He said the department currently operates 48 Flock automated license‑plate readers and has 28 additional sensors being permitted or installed, for a local deployment of about 76 units; he also described a broader regional ecosystem of roughly 750 sensors to which the city’s systems can be connected. Meyers said the department implemented vendor filters in December that “prohibit our Flock sensors from being used for any search that indicates that is for the purpose of immigration enforcement or for the purpose of any sort of access to reproductive‑care investigation.” He added that raw ALPR images and reads are retained in the Flock system for 30 days unless retained as evidence in an investigation.

Council members repeatedly asked for stronger, written commitments and more public transparency. Council Member Green said she supported law‑enforcement access to tools that help solve violent crimes but urged urgency in auditing usage and preventing misuse: “Every day that we are waiting is another day that somebody could be taken away from their family unjustly,” Green said.

Police described steps toward a formal surveillance policy, including requiring surveillance impact statements for new technologies, auditing search logs, centralizing management in a real‑time support section, and improving SOPs. The department set an internal target to publish a comprehensive policy but said timing had slipped because of staffing constraints and an accreditation cycle; officials pledged to publish as soon as practicable and to provide audit results to council.

After the discussion, council voted on Ordinance 1225‑2026 to authorize a three‑year contract with Sound Thinking for gunfire‑detection, alert and analysis services at a cost of $661,500. The ordinance passed on a roll‑call voice vote with all present members recorded as approving.

Next steps: Council members asked the Division of Police to (1) produce the promised surveillance policy and surveillance impact statements for existing deployments, (2) deliver audit findings on Flock access and searches, and (3) schedule a public hearing where residents and outside advocates can question vendors and police leadership.