Communities Reconsider Flock Surveillance Programs

Communities across the United States are pausing or reconsidering Flock surveillance technology amid concerns about privacy, data use and government monitoring. In Kyle, Texas, officials voted to deactivate city-owned license-plate readers pending a nonbinding May referendum on the Flock contracts; Milford, Connecticut, imposed a temporary moratorium on Flock Condor video cameras for committee review and had already restricted its license-plate readers. In Portage, Indiana, a councilman is seeking to end the program, though officials are reviewing whether the city can leave its $55,000-a-year contract early; the contract runs through 2028. In Springfield, residents have called for camera removal and a public meeting, while police say the system helps investigations; in Cleveland Heights, activists want to end the contract despite officials reducing the number of agencies with data access. Supporters cite public-safety benefits, while critics warn of potential misuse and expanding surveillance; a community-built map documents more than 142,000 cameras nationwide, though the actual total is unknown.