Kent City Council rejects video surveillance contract with Flock

Kent City Council voted against permitting the Kent Police Department to enter into a contract with Flock Safety at its regular committee meeting Nov. 5.

Flock Safety is a surveillance company that has partnered with more than 5,000 law enforcement agencies across the country and uses cameras to record vehicle license plate data.

This is not the first time Kent City Council discussed the use of Flock cameras — council had considered them earlier in April, but tabled it until now. Flock has worked with other local cities like Stow, Ravenna, Aurora and Brimfield. 

Police Chief Nicholas Shearer said that while other Flock customers could request any data recorded using the system, Kent’s police department wouldn’t be automatically required to share it. 

Council Member At Large Gwen Rosenberg made a motion to adopt the system if city council were able to assist in the creation of a sharing policy. She noted that while she was “profoundly uncomfortable” with location-tracking technology, it was already happening everywhere from Facebook to the grocery store. 

“I feel that any technology has the potential to be abused,” Rosenberg said. “I think that the potential safety outweighs the risk right now.” 

The motion did not pass, with a vote of three in favor and four against. In favor were Rosenberg, Ward 3 Council Member Robin Turner and Council Member At Large Roger Sidoti. Against the motion were Ward 2 Council Member and Mayor Jack Amrhein, Ward 4 Council Member Chris Hook, Ward 5 Council Member Heidi Shaffer Bish and Ward 6 Council Member Jeff Clapper. 

“Adding these cameras on major intersections, participating in a surveillance system that citizens have not opted into, except by electing us. It’s unnecessary. Looking at the rate violent crime is going down in the city of Kent … I fail to see how the crime is increasing at such a rate that needs to be added. This is just frightening,” Hook said.