ATHENS — Athens police will not renew the department’s contract for Flock surveillance cameras, Mayor Steve Patterson announced during a recent City Council meeting, following continued public concern about the system.
Patterson told council members on Monday, Oct. 6, that the department would let the Flock agreement lapse rather than extend it. Residents have raised questions at council meetings about how license-plate reader cameras are used, what data they collect and how long that information is kept.
Flock cameras photograph passing vehicles and license plates and can alert officers when a plate matches a watch list. Supporters in other communities say the tools help locate stolen cars and missing people, while critics worry about privacy, data sharing and oversight.
Athens is not the only Ohio community rethinking the technology. Toledo council members are separately debating whether to cut ties with Flock and remove its cameras there, with a vote expected later this month.
During the same Athens meeting, residents also pressed city officials about repeated flooding concerns, saying calls about problem areas have gone unanswered. Council members heard those concerns as discussion continued about Richland Avenue, Coates Run and other flood-prone parts of the city.