Hilliard council votes to pause Flock camera program amid privacy concerns

Hilliard City Council on Sept. 14 unanimously directed the city manager to pause the city's Flock camera program while officials review the technology, its vendor relationships and regional practices.

President Emily Cole moved the directive during the council discussion, saying the pause will give the city time to "seek to better understand the nuances of this technology and continue to engage in regional conversations on this technology with other communities." Council members immediately voiced support for the measure and it passed by roll-call vote 6–0.

Several council members said they trust the Hilliard Police Department to use surveillance tools responsibly but expressed particular concern about private vendors' access to data. Councilwoman Vermillion said the conversation was "long overdue" and noted that parties other than the local police have had access to camera data. Councilwoman Parker Jones said she could support a pause to allow more research while acknowledging the technology's value to law enforcement. Councilman Betts flagged the difficulty of holding private corporations accountable compared with elected officials.

The motion does not change day-to-day police operations immediately; instead it directs the city manager to halt the city's Flock camera program pending further study and regional coordination. The council did not adopt any new ordinance or policy language at the meeting; the next steps are a staff-driven information-gathering process and potential future council discussion.

The vote followed a broader legislative agenda that evening including land transfers, housing and transportation initiatives.