By Chloe McCoy
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer is calling for the city to terminate its contract with Flock.
According to Manheimer, the city has 11 Flock cameras operated by the city. This does not include other cameras in the surrounding community that are not under the city’s control.
The mayor said that after speaking to Asheville residents and experts, she is calling on the city manager to terminate the contract.
This comes after the city council passed Resolution 26-97, which reaffirmed the protection of civil liberties in the collection and use of data by public safety officers.
The mayor said despite this resolution, reports have continued circulating about Flock’s control and the use of data, pushing a need for the city to step in further.
“We need to do this to make sure that this technology is not moving faster than we are. We need to protect our citizens,” Manheimer said in a social media post. “We need to protect our civil liberties, but we also need to keep our communities safe.”
Manheimer went on to say that if the city terminates the contract, the cameras will be removed and officials will no longer have access to the Flock system.
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https://www.wyff4.com/article/flock-city-camera-contract-privacy-surveillance/73476805