Abington Police Chief John Bonney Statement on Flock Cameras

Our Take

Credit to Abington CAM for recording this one, because these "Town Manager's Corner" segments are exactly the kind of soft-focus programming that lets police brass sell surveillance expansion without a single hard question. A chief sitting across from a friendly town manager, reassuring residents that the cameras are no big deal, is not oversight. It's a press release with better production values.

This format matters because it's becoming the default way small and mid-size departments roll out Flock Safety networks: no public hearing with teeth, no independent data showing reduced crime, just a comfortable conversation that treats a mass-surveillance system like a routine purchase of new squad cars. Residents deserve to know who can access that plate data, how long it's retained, whether it's shared with ICE or other outside agencies, and what happens when the system misfires on an innocent driver. None of that gets settled by a chief saying "trust us" on cable access.

If Abington has Flock cameras going in — or already up — it belongs on the record, not just on a local broadcast. Check our camera map to see what's been documented near you, and if your town is heading down this same path, our take-action page has tools to push for real transparency before the contract is signed.