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Residents and county law enforcement clash over Flock Safety cameras
Summary
Public commenters and privacy advocates challenged the sheriff’s ALPR camera program as an overbroad surveillance tool, while the sheriff’s office described concrete public-safety recoveries tied to the system and emphasized audit controls.
Public comment at the Franklin County commissioners meeting on July 30 centered on automated license-plate readers (ALPR) and related Flock Safety systems, with privacy advocates urging caution and law-enforcement officials defending the tools.
"These cameras are a blatant violation of our 4th amendment rights," said Austin McDaniel, representing nearly 300 members of FLOC Franklin County. McDaniel argued the cameras can produce a dragnet effect and raised past data-breach incidents and business-practices concerns about private vendors.
Chief Deputy Daniel Foy of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office responded with operational context and statistics, saying, "Just within the past 12 month period, what the cameras has helped here in Franklin County has recovered 12 stolen vehicles," and noted more than 15 arrests and multiple missing-person recoveries linked to camera alerts. Foy emphasized that searches are logged and audited and that supervisors monitor user activity to prevent unauthorized use.
Other speakers highlighted community impacts: Valerie Jordan, a senior advocate from Fayetteville, tied surveillance concerns to senior-center accessibility and questioned retention windows, while Tim Bentley called for broader public discussion and legal safeguards before expanding surveillance. Supportive commenters described ride-alongs and local recoveries that influenced their view of the cameras as an investigative tool.
The commissioners acknowledged both concerns and operational benefits and asked staff to place a fuller discussion on a future agenda so the board can consider policy guardrails and public engagement before further expansion.
