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Rangely resident urges council to end Flock Safety camera use; council asks for evidence
Summary
Resident Mark Stamus told the Rangely Town Council the town’s Flock Safety license‑plate readers create a searchable ‘‘vehicle fingerprint’’ in a cloud database and called for the contract to end; council members expressed mixed views and asked for documentary evidence and further public input.
A Rangely resident pressed the town council on Oct. 28 over a recent installation of Flock Safety license‑plate cameras, saying the vendor’s cloud database creates searchable "vehicle fingerprints" and amounts to mass surveillance that could violate the Fourth Amendment.
Mark Stamus, who identified himself during the public‑comment period, told the council the cameras were installed without public input and that the system captures more than plates — aggregating visual details and storing data in a cloud database that he said can be shared with third parties. Stamus said lawsuits are pending against Flock and asked the council to review materials he provided and consider terminating the contract or holding public hearings.
Council members and other attendees debated the tradeoffs between privacy and public safety. Several council members said they had read Stamus’s packet but asked for direct evidence of misuse; others noted the town’s police chief had sent a letter saying the cameras helped recover stolen plates and find missing persons. Don Davidson, speaking from the dais, thanked Stamus for raising his concerns and said the council should stay engaged as surveillance systems expand and integrate with other platforms.
Council members repeatedly encouraged Stamus and other residents to bring documentary evidence or to rally neighbors to request additional meetings. No formal motion, referral to staff, or vote to change the Flock contract was taken at the meeting; councilors said the town had discussed the camera in prior agenda and budget meetings and that residents also have opportunities to participate in those public sessions.
Stamus told the council: “These flock license plate readers are more than license plate readers,” and quoted William Blackstone to underline his civil‑liberties argument: “It's better that 10 guilty men go free than one innocent man suffer.”
Council members responded in substance but not in action. One council member summarized the position of others who support the cameras for public safety but want to see evidence of misuse before acting. Don Davidson said, “Thanks Mark for being proactive,” and urged continued community engagement as the technology and vendor partnerships evolve.
What happens next: Council members said they would be open to reviewing evidence and holding public hearings if a significant portion of residents requests them; the meeting closed without any change to the existing Flock Safety arrangements. The council encouraged residents to attend scheduled meetings to raise the issue formally.
