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ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) — Questions are being raised about Flock Safety cameras.
Tompkins County Legislator Rich John says the license plate readers, which are placed on utility poles across the county, are concerning some people. “These cameras are a tool, and a tool can be misused,” John said Thursday, July 31 on Ithaca’s Morning News. “They can be used by ICE for their raids.”
After acknowledging concerns voiced by some citizens, the Public Safety Committee chair also noted how the cameras have aided law enforcement.
“The Flock system helped find a senior citizen who got lost driving and their family was frantic, and the [Flock] system was used to find the car.” John added that the system, which was funded through the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) grant, can help investigators.
“There’s gun-detection microphones so if a shot is fired it can determine that, and officers can immediately figure out where the shot was and to see what vehicles were around there at the time,” John stated.
Despite concerns, John told 607NewsNow there’s been no case of abuse reported in Tompkins County, and Sheriff Derek Osborne says data they’ve collected since the cameras were installed are securely stored.
Flock Safety cameras are also operated by the Ithaca Police Department, the Cornell University Police Department, and police in Trumansburg and Cayuga Heights.
FULL INTERVIEW: Tompkins County Legislator Rich John on Ithaca’s Morning News