Flock Safety begins removing county’s license plate readers

Flock Safety license plate readers in Millerton, Pine Plains and Amenia have been removed, but others remain standing elsewhere in Dutchess County after the county’s Oct. 25 removal deadline.

The three local cameras came down by Monday, Oct. 26, following county officials’ September decision to discontinue the surveillance system amid public opposition over privacy concerns.

Their removal marks the end of a contentious chapter in northeast Dutchess’s history. At a public forum in September, residents from across the political spectrum harshly criticized Flock’s presence in Dutchess County, citing privacy concerns, potential misuse of data and lack of accountability. District Attorney Anthony Parisi and Dutchess County Sheriff Kirk Imperati announced the decision to deactivate the cameras two days later, on Sept. 25, with removal to take place within 30 days.

But while local cameras have been removed, Flock cameras are still up elsewhere in Dutchess County. Dutchess County Director of Communication Colleen Pillus said Monday, Nov. 2 that 22 cameras need right-of-way work permits from the state to be removed. Those permits are still in the process of being obtained by Flock.

“Flock is responsible for removal of the cameras, so it would be their responsibility to coordinate the permits,” Pillus said in a statement. “The Sheriff’s Office, as well as the District Attorney’s Office, are jointly working with Flock for the camera removal as their offices coordinate the contracts.”

The removed cameras in northeast Dutchess, however, were also along state highways. Questions about why some Flock camera removals require permits, and others do not, were not answered by the time of publication.

County Legislator Chris Drago, who introduced legislation to physically block the cameras with non-damaging covers if they were not removed within 30 days, said he was “concerned about the ongoing utilization of Flock technology in Dutchess County by the county, municipalities, and private operators.”

The removed cameras were located across from Silamar Farm on Route 22 in Millerton, along Route 82 north of downtown Pine Plains, and at the former Willows Motel on Route 343 in Amenia. A fourth camera in Milan was also removed last week. There were about 60 Flock cameras active in the county before District Attorney Anthony Parisi and Sheriff Kirk Imperati announced the decision to deactivate and remove the cameras at the end of September.

Dutchess County joins a number of municipalities that have banned the cameras or terminated their contracts with Flock. In New York, Ulster County banned the cameras on Oct. 26. In Connecticut, Windsor and Fairfield removed their Flock cameras earlier this year. Across the country, more than 100 cities and counties have followed suit — but over 100,000 Flock cameras are still operational nationwide, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

In Poughkeepsie, Mayor Yvonne Flowers vetoed a measure on Oct. 30 that would have banned the city’s 13 Flock cameras. In a statement, Flowers said, “I believe we need additional discussions, a comprehensive assessment of the resolution’s implications, and a clear understanding of the alternatives available before making a decision that could significantly affect public safety and City operations.

“My concerns about removing Flock technology by next week are not simply administrative or contractual. They are personal, rooted in my experience living through a period when gun violence deeply affected our neighborhoods and when crime was on the rise in our city.”

The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Department and the District Attorney’s office have maintained the cameras helped to quickly apprehend criminals and acted as a force multiplier. The department’s Analysis and Real Time Crime Intelligence Center will remain active to highlight ways in which technology is supporting crime prevention and investigative coordination.