East Greenbush speakers have difference of opinions on Flock cameras
The short version: East Greenbush's two-hour Flock hearing shows what real democratic pushback on ALPR surveillance looks like when residents actually show up.
Our Take
Credit to WTEN for capturing something we don't see enough of: a packed town board chamber where regular people, not just police brass, got two hours to sound off on Flock Safety cameras. That's the process working the way it's supposed to. Most towns quietly approve these contracts in a five-minute consent-agenda vote with zero public comment. East Greenbush residents forced an actual debate, and that matters more than the outcome of any single meeting.
The split in opinion the video shows is exactly what you'd expect once people learn what these cameras actually do. Law enforcement pitches Flock as a tool for finding stolen cars and wanted suspects. Skeptical residents start asking the harder questions: who has access to the data, how long is it stored, can it be shared with other agencies or federal immigration authorities, and what happens when the system misreads a plate and sends an officer to the wrong car. Those aren't fringe concerns, they're the same questions being raised in town halls across the country as communities realize they never actually voted to be tracked everywhere they drive.
If you're in East Greenbush or anywhere nearby, check our camera map to see what's already been installed around you, and use our take-action guide to figure out how to get in front of your own town board before the cameras go up instead of after.
This is DeFlock The USA’s original commentary. The video above is the work of WTEN, published on YouTube — full credit to the creator.