Some Chatham County residents are speaking out against Pittsboro’s use of Flock license-plate cameras, citing privacy concerns.
The surveillance technology by Flock Safety largely aims to help local police identify suspects and locate missing persons by taking still images of a vehicle’s “distinguishing features,” including the license plate. Although it has been two years since the town began installing its cameras, some members of the Pittsboro community are starting to raise concerns about privacy and data security, as well as if Flock could share information with federal agencies like ICE.
For example, recent yard signs around town are promoting PittsboroCameras.org, a site listing specific privacy concerns, a camera locations map, and how to contact local officials about removing the cameras.
“Tell them to shut the system down, delete the data, and require a public vote before any restart,” a statement on the website reads.
The website is one way residents are speaking out against the Flock Safety technology in town. (Image via PittsboroCameras.org.)
Instead of the cameras, the online hub advocates for safety measures that do not require tracking, such as targeted investigations, improved lighting in problem areas, or narrowing the scope of cameras. The website also encouraged members of the Chatham community to speak directly to the commissioners at a meeting on Feb. 9. There, several people expressed how they feel uncomfortable by how the surveillance technology can track anyone’s daily movements and routines.
“When I went to church yesterday, I realized that there is a Flock camera pointed directly down the only street to that building,” Pittsboro resident Ethan Ticer said. “And come to find out that anytime I leave my apartment or go to church, my vehicle is being recorded and monitored, and that is an egregious violation of my 4th Amendment rights, and I would like to see these cameras taken down immediately.”
While Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp said the cameras have been a helpful tool for police officers, he told 97.9 The Hill how they are an “ongoing conversation” for the town. He added how the Board of Commissioners will likely share their opinions on the technology at a future meeting.
“When [the cameras] are put up by the police department, they have very specific rules around data access and retention and things like that,” Shipp said. “So we’re always reviewing those policies and making sure we’re in compliance with the law, of course. And then looking at how residents are impacted by the private cameras as well.”
Flock cameras in Pittsboro. (Image via Henry Taylor/Chapel Hill Media Group.)
The discussions follow the Town of Hillsborough’s effort to remove its own Flock cameras. In October, the town had only installed half of the town’s contracted 10 cameras before canceling its agreement with Flock Safety, citing concerns for how certain language in the contract could allow the company to disclose data to “any government entity or third party” if it felt the need to do so. Hillsborough Mayor Mark Bell and police chief Jason Winn also released a joint statement on how the town would look for other innovative programs for keeping the community safe.
During the public comment portion of the Pittsboro meeting, community members shared similar sentiments about how the town does not have control over what entities have access to the data, including ICE. Alan Cat was one of the meeting’s most vocal participants to speak against the surveillance technology. While the cameras do not track faces, people, gender or race, he ultimately called the cameras a “24/7” surveillance system, tracking times, locations, and routines that would normally require a warrant to access.
“Now, we might not be paying much for these cameras, but that’s because we are the product,” Cat said. “Flock happily will make money off of selling that data, selling that video feed to consumers, whether they be the public entities for law enforcement purposes or private entities for commercial purposes. And frankly, I think it’s inappropriate for us to have these sources of data just leaking private information, and I highly suggest a moratorium on the use of them in the future.”
To watch the full Board of Commissioners meeting, click here.
Featured image via Henry Taylor/Chapel Hill Media Group.
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