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Residents, privacy advocates urge caution on Flock surveillance as county forms working group
Summary
Public commenters and city representatives pressed Tompkins County legislators to slow adoption of Flock surveillance cameras, seek state guidance on removing the vendor from conditional grants, and establish a transparent working group with broad community representation.
Public commenters and city officials urged the Tompkins County Legislature on Tuesday to move deliberately before continuing with Flock Safety camera contracts tied to state grant funds. Theresa Fulton, vice chair of the Tompkins County Human Rights Commission, asked legislators to reopen the Office of Human Rights in its present location and to hire a program manager, and she urged inclusion of local voices in any surveillance policy process.
Zach Wynne warned the legislature that up to $1.1 million in grant funding could hinge on accepting a state GIVE grant that includes the Flock vendor, and he urged budgeting now to preserve the option of declining the vendor. “Does the county, decline 1,000,000 dollars in order to prevent mass surveillance of its population?” Wynne asked, urging the working group and budget planners to plan for a scenario in which Albany will not allow the vendor to be excluded from the grant. He recommended seeking a formal determination from New York State and the Department of Criminal Justice Services about whether the GIVE grant could be accepted with Flock omitted.
Amanda Kirch Gessner told legislators the county should create a formal application process and make work‑group meetings public so the selection of members is transparent. She argued the process must ensure representation from impacted neighborhoods, civil‑liberties advocates, law enforcement, technologists and data‑privacy experts to build public trust around any recommendations.
City representative Margaret Fabrizio told the body that the city council planned a separate resolution to end its Flock contract and urged the county and city to coordinate to avoid unintended consequences — notably intertwined funding arrangements and shared programs. Several members of the public and legislators signaled support for forming a county working group to review policy, contract language and the fiscal implications before a final decision is made.
