Residents press Lynn Haven to tighten oversight of Flock camera program

Several residents used the public-comment period to press the Lynn Haven City Commission to revisit the city’s use of Flock camera analytics and to adopt stronger oversight and limits.

David Switzer told the commission that the December approval of the Flock system lacked thorough review and said the vendor shares data broadly; he urged the commission to reconsider the program before the next election cycle. "All of that data is shared with 13 to,500 other law enforcement agencies and the federal government," Switzer said.

Commissioner Peebles and other commissioners agreed that if the cameras remain, the city needs strict auditing, oversight and consequences for misuse. Commissioner Peebles specifically proposed policy work to tighten usage categories, retention limits and data-sharing standards. Commissioner Peebles said she is "very willing to discuss adjustments to Lynn Haven's policies regarding the usage, the retention, and the data sharing," and invited residents and other members (including Mr. Scrape and Mr. Switzer) to help craft policy options.

Public commenters and at least one commissioner suggested narrower operational limits — for example, limiting camera use to felonies or higher-level crimes, trimming retention windows, and restricting inter-jurisdictional sharing. Commissioners asked staff to return with policy options and audit requirements rather than immediate operational changes.

Next steps: commissioners signaled support for drafting specific Flock policies — retention, audit trails, and permitted use cases — and for vetting those policies publicly before changing operational arrangements.