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Residents raise privacy alarms over renewed Flock Safety camera contract; council members split on oversight vs. safety
Summary
Several residents told the Riverview City Council they believe the city's renewed contract with Flock Safety enables broad vehicle and occupant surveillance and risks misuse; some council members defended the system as a crime-fighting tool and pointed to prior budget discussion and oversight.
Several Riverview residents used the public-comment period on July 20 to urge the City Council to revisit the city's renewed contract with Flock Safety, arguing the system does more than log license plates and could be upgraded to facial recognition without replacing hardware.
"It is also recording the make, model, year, color, dents, dings, and occupants of your vehicle," Ryan Brennan told the council, saying software updates could enable facial recognition. Brennan described Flock as "warrantless surveillance" and warned the system risks creating "a warrantless surveillance state."
Other speakers expanded on privacy and oversight concerns. Andrew Kukul, who said he shops in Riverview, told the council cameras "are also watching the politicians who are installing these cameras" and urged officials to show data proving the cameras reduce crime before further spending.
Ari Papadopoulos said residents have a right to know how tax dollars are used and asserted public hearings on the contract did not occur before renewal; he also cited reported instances elsewhere of police misuse and continued access after contract expiration.
Councilmembers responded in turn. Councilmember Pray said concerns about misuse are real but accused some commenters of misstating the record. He said the cameras were discussed multiple times and included as a line item in the posted budget and that, after his review, he "100% fully support[s] the idea of using flock cameras." Pray framed the technology as an extension of Amber Alerts and argued it helps locate missing children.
Councilmember Gunaga acknowledged abuses and said "the issues that you're bringing up are not with the flock system, but with the people using it," inviting public input on safeguards. He emphasized the system targets vehicles rather than people's faces, saying "the cars are" what is being photographed.
The council did not take formal action to revoke or restrict the contract during the meeting but members directed staff and legal counsel to provide additional information and indicated willingness to receive community input.
