US City Officials Use Trash Bags to Disable Flock Safety Cameras

City officials in multiple U.S. cities are covering Flock Safety surveillance cameras with trash bags to disable them [1, 2].

This makeshift solution highlights a growing tension between municipal surveillance goals and resident privacy rights. The move comes as local governments struggle to exit contracts with the security firm while facing allegations regarding data sharing with federal agencies.

Officials said they resorted to blinding the cameras because they are uncertain how to cancel the service or legally remove the devices [1, 2]. By physically obstructing the lenses, cities can stop the collection of data immediately while they navigate the administrative process of terminating their agreements.

Concerns over data privacy drove the decision to disable the hardware. Officials said Flock Safety may be sharing resident data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE [1, 2]. This potential data pipeline has prompted cities to take temporary measures to protect their populations from federal surveillance.

Flock Safety specializes in automated license plate recognition technology, which allows law enforcement to track vehicles across jurisdictions. While marketed as a tool for crime prevention, the lack of clear exit strategies for cities has left some officials in a precarious position regarding the hardware installed on public property ^[2].

The use of trash bags serves as a temporary stopgap until the devices can be formally removed from city streets ^[1]. This unconventional approach underscores the difficulty cities face when integrating private surveillance tech into public infrastructure without clear contractual off-ramps.