Village distances itself from Flock cameras
Trending
Flock camera outrage has reached Fredonia, with village officials distancing themselves from the program at last week's Board of Trustees meeting.
The issue was the very first thing Mayor Michael Ferguson spoke about at the meeting. "We've had a lot of phone calls and emails and discussions about the cameras outside," he said.
Flock cameras are automated license plate reader systems made by a company called Flock Safety. The cameras capture not only vehicle license plates, but also make, model, color, and unique details like bumper stickers or dents. The cameras log data into a searchable database used by law enforcement, businesses, and homeowners associations.
The cameras have been installed around the country to record public roads -- though the devices themselves are often on private property. In an age filled with privacy concerns about data mining, nationwide outrage has resulted.
A Flock camera watches the intersection right next to Fredonia Village Hall. "Those cameras were put in place throughout Chautauqua County, by the Chautauqua County District Attorney's office," Ferguson said. "They are not operated or owned by the village. We have zero access to those."
Ferguson noted there are multiple cameras outside Village Hall. He said the small white ones are owned by the village. Cameras erected on poles are owned by the county, he said.
Patrick Sexton subsequently criticized the use of Flock cameras in the village, during part of a letter that was read out at the meeting. Trustee LeeAnn Lazarony offered a response to his camera concerns.
"We as a village board didn’t know they were going up," she said. "I only found out about it through one of the (Pomfret) town council people."
Pomfret councilman Mike Lee spoke out against Flock cameras at the town's August board meeting. He promised to push the DA's office and the Chautauqua County Legislature to get rid of the cameras.
Lazarony said the first thing she did when she found out about the cameras was "call:our zoning officer and say, 'Hey, did they have to have a permit to put those up?' We don’t own the pole and they don't require any electricity. I was told by the zoning officer they didn't need a permit to put them up."
Lazarony continued, "My understanding is, the DA's office contracted with Flock to put those cameras up. The village board didn't approve anything with these Flock cameras. We didn't say 'yea,' or 'nay,' we weren't consulted, we weren't asked where the cameras should go, we weren't asked if we wanted the cameras in our village." The trustee encouraged village residents to call state legislators about the issue.