Flock Safety cameras

Thanked the Legislature for ending the Flock contract but criticized the lack of transparency around the vote, and asked for concrete surveillance oversight legislation, a reconstituted public safety committee, and community polls.

Joined Josh Dolan to finish reading the Flock Off Ithaca statement, urging transparency, public oversight, and community polls on surveillance decisions.

Argued the county doesn't really own the Flock data, which sits on Amazon servers and can be shared broadly; volunteered to cover the cameras with garbage bags until a decision is made.

A pastor raised concerns that Flock data could be used by out-of-state jurisdictions to prosecute people for legal activities like abortion care, since the company — not the county — responds to warrants.

Another faith leader urged the county to reject the Flock contract renewal and disconnect the existing cameras, citing privacy of congregants and abuse potential.

Cited a case where a woman reported an attempted luring but was told the cameras were off, then learned they were on — arguing the cameras aren't protecting people and calling for accountability.

Challenged the sheriff's claims about camera effectiveness, noting gunshot declines predated Flock and only six useful incidents were listed; said her car is photographed four times a day.

Read a state official's statement that ending Flock use would not cost the county GIVE grant funding, countering the argument that camera money supports youth programs.

Argued Flock broke its promises — insecure devices and databases, pedestrian tracking, data not deleted after 30 days — and said the deal should be off.

Described being propositioned by men in a vehicle near the library and learned the Flock cameras had been disabled, which could have identified the vehicle; urged the county to reconsider removing them.

Cited documented abuses and a DCJS email saying GIVE funds can be kept without Flock; asked the county to end the relationship and move on.

Warned of inertia and a coming federal reckoning with the cameras; argued the data isn't just license plates and isn't owned locally.

Said his two FOIL requests on the Flock contract and deployment plan went unanswered for months, blocking transparency about the camera placement.

Read from a DCJS email stating ending Flock would not jeopardize GIVE funding, and asked why the Legislature hasn't sought an official response.

Urged fast-tracking removal before the April 28 auto-renewal deadline, noting Ithaca's unanimous 11-0 vote to remove its cameras.

A Cornell machine-learning professional argued the camera data is fundamentally corrosive to a free society regardless of the vendor, and noted a July 15 deadline to cancel next year's contract.

Urged the county to plan budget room to decline about $1.1 million in GIVE-related funding if FLOCK can't be removed, and asked the county to press the Asteri's owner and reconsider its tax abatement.

She relayed a message about a recent attempted murder at Asteri Ithaca, then advocated for adopting Flock cameras with strong local oversight, citing her father's unsolved homicide and the technology's potential to monitor federal law enforcement constitutionality.