Where Do I Stand on Flock Cameras in Raleigh?

I have serious concerns about Raleigh's use of Flock cameras. I understand that there are benefits to this technology, and RPD has reported using it to recover stolen vehicles, solve cases, and locate missing people. However, those benefits need to be weighed against concerns about privacy, surveillance, data security, and potential misuse.

Recent reporting identified problems with former employees being listed as active users in RPD's system, which the department has since corrected. RPD also states that data is deleted after 30 days and that ICE does not have direct access for immigration enforcement purposes. But questions remain about what happens to that data during those 30 days. Who can access it? How is that access monitored? What safeguards prevent misuse?

I'm also concerned about data sharing with federal agencies. Even if ICE doesn't have direct access, what happens when another federal agency requests information, and what prevents that information from being shared further?

Unless we can adequately address these concerns, establish strong safeguards and independent oversight, and engage Raleigh residents in the conversation about how this technology is used, I would not support continuing the city's contracts with Flock.