Flock Camera Debate Spreads Across States

Idaho Falls officials and a local critic are set to debate the city’s Flock automated license plate readers, which have drawn concerns over privacy, surveillance and compliance with Idaho law. Police Chief Bryce Johnson and Bonneville County Sheriff Sam Hulse have supported the cameras as a crime-solving tool, while DeFlock Idaho organizer Brian McKellar argues their use amounts to unlawful mass surveillance and has filed a tort claim seeking their removal. The free public event will include a moderated discussion and audience questions. Separately, a debate over Flock cameras has reached Marathon County, Wisconsin, where the sheriff defended his office’s data controls and expressed openness to outside review of system audits, while residents urged supervisors to halt funding over surveillance and domestic-violence safety concerns.