Poles with Flock cameras don't use safety 'break away poles'
The short version: 9NEWS reports Flock camera poles in the Denver metro skip standard breakaway safety designs, raising road-safety concerns nobody signed off on.
Our Take
Credit to 9NEWS for catching something that usually flies under the radar: how these poles actually get put in the ground. Breakaway poles exist because a rigid pole is a lethal obstacle if a car leaves the road — that's basic traffic engineering, not a fringe concern. If Flock installations are skipping that standard, it's a sign of how fast this technology is being bolted onto public infrastructure with minimal engineering review, let alone public input.
This is the pattern we keep seeing with Flock deployments nationwide: speed over scrutiny. Cities and private HOAs sign contracts and cameras go up in days, often without the kind of permitting, safety review, or community notice that any other piece of roadside infrastructure would require. When a private surveillance company can plant hardware on public rights-of-way faster than a utility pole gets approved, that tells you who's really driving the process.
If you've spotted a Flock pole in your area — safety issue or not — help document it on our map, and if your local government hasn't held a public hearing on these cameras, check take-action for ways to push for one.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of 9NEWS, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.