Hudson Valley Flock Cameras May Soon Be Covered Up
Some controversial cameras along Hudson Valley roads could soon get a very visible makeover following complaints from residents about their privacy.
Dutchess County has already stopped using its Flock Safety license plate readers. But with dozens of cameras still mounted on poles, legislators want to make sure drivers can be certain that the system has been shut down.
A proposal introduced by Legislator Chris Drago of Stanford would require county Flock cameras still installed after October 25 to be covered within seven days. The coverings would remain in place until the equipment is removed.
According to an October 9 press release from Legislature Chair Yvette Valdés Smith, the resolution unanimously passed the Public Safety Committee on October 8. It is scheduled for a full Legislature vote on Tuesday, October 13.
District Attorney Anthony Parisi and Sheriff Kirk Imperati announced September 25 that Dutchess County would stop using the cameras. The district attorney said removing the devices would take no longer than 30 days.
That announcement followed a September 23 public forum in Pleasant Valley where residents raised concerns about surveillance and called for the program to end.
The cameras recorded license plates, along with the time and location vehicles passed them. Residents objected to collecting information about everyday drivers, including people with no connection to a crime, and raised concerns about access to those records by agencies outside Dutchess County.
While the county’s cameras have been deactivated, the equipment still looks just as it did when it was operating. Drago says covering the devices would give residents visible reassurance while they wait for them to come down.
“Covering the Flock cameras is a small act, but an important step toward restoring public trust by demonstrating respect for residents’ privacy and freedom,” Drago said.
Under the proposal, county personnel would use opaque material that blocks the cameras without damaging them. The equipment remains Flock’s property until it is removed.
Public Safety Committee Chair Eric Alexander of the Town of Washington said residents want certainty about when the cameras will come down. Valdés Smith, who represents Fishkill, also supports covering them so residents can clearly see they are no longer collecting data.
If the resolution is approved, county cameras remaining after the October 25 removal deadline would have to be visibly covered within the following seven days.
New York Communities Where Flock Cameras Have Been Mapped
More From WPDH-WPDA
