Huntington approves Flock surveillance despite privacy protests

The Huntington city council voted 6-4 to approve resolutions allowing Mayor Patrick Farrell to enter into a business agreement with Flock. The technology demonstration occurred on July 7th, preceding the council meeting on July 13th. Mayor Farrell stated that Flock cameras helped track down the suspected killer of Jackie Harper, a 33-year-old woman shot and killed less than a week before the vote. He also noted the technology assisted in finding a suspect in a double killing earlier in the year and referenced an unsolved case from over two decades ago involving four teens killed on prom night.

Residents opposed the contract, citing privacy rights and potential abuse. Some attendees read from George Orwell's 1984 during the meeting. Council members warned that the proposed contract language was not tight enough to protect the city from lawsuits. Critics, including the ACLU, argue that Flock's protections do not go far enough to safeguard civil liberties. Flock's primary tool is an automated license plate reader that uses AI to identify vehicles and search a nationwide network.

The Huntington Community Action Group aims to collect 4,000 signatures for a ballot initiative to void the contract. As of mid-September, the group had collected 1,600 signatures after canvassing for over a month. Mayor Farrell described opponents as a loud minority while claiming support from a silent majority.