Rep. Thomas Massie is introducing a invoice to strip federal funding from any native governments or police departments that deploy controversial Flock Security safety cameras, the Kentucky Republican introduced on Saturday.
Flock Security, the Atlanta-based firm behind the controversial smart-cameras that may monitor a automotive based mostly on its dents, bumper stickers and roof racks, is now the goal of latest laws being sponsored by the Libertarian congressman in an effort to strengthen the Fourth Modification, which protects towards unreasonable searches and authorities surveillance.
“I’ll quickly be sponsoring a invoice to withhold federal cash from municipalities and police departments that deploy Flock (and different type) cameras to surveil law-abiding residents,” Massie mentioned.
Massie, who’s retiring from Congress after his seventh time period in workplace ends this January, posted the feedback on X together with a “don’t flock on me” parody flag.
Flock has quietly turn out to be legislation enforcement’s go-to surveillance device across the nation and has already wired itself into greater than 5,000 police companies nationwide with almost 90,000 cameras since 2018, in keeping with DeFlock, an activist group monitoring the corporate’s surveillance and growth.
Flock Security CEO Garrett Langley, who as soon as described DeFlock as a “terroristic group” earlier than later apologizing for his remarks towards the group, beforehand mentioned that the cameras are an important device in serving to modern-day police remedy crimes, recuperate stolen automobiles, find gunshots, monitor fleeing suspects and problem Amber Alerts.
However critics declare that the cameras function the native authorities’s “Large Brother”-style mass surveillance, with billions of month-to-month plate reads flowing into police databases shared throughout companies every month.
Massie’s invoice comes as 18 officers in Georgia — together with a police supervisor who used the digicam system to trace her boyfriend — have been arrested for misusing Flock Security digicam information, in keeping with stories.
There has additionally been a rising motion of anti-Flock vigilantes throughout the nation vandalizing the cameras of their hometowns, together with one latest incident in Connecticut the place 4 cameras had been chopped down simply final week, sources advised The Publish.
A spokesperson for Flock Security advised The Publish that Massie’s invoice would “have actual penalties for public security.” The corporate estimates it has supported greater than 1 million investigations, assisted in 20% of all solved circumstances in jurisdictions that associate with it, and has helped find greater than 10,000 lacking individuals so far.
“Fairly than banning a crucial public security device, Congress ought to take into account sturdy, clear safeguards that guarantee accountability, oversight, and accountable use are enshrined in legislation,” the spokesperson mentioned.
“We shouldn’t have to decide on between defending privateness and giving legislation enforcement the instruments it must preserve communities secure,” the consultant added. “We will — and will — do each.”
