City Council Faces Surveillance Concerns Over License Plate Reader Cameras
Twin Falls Mayor Jason Brown said the city is prepared to modify or cancel its contract with Flock, a license plate reader camera company, following vocal opposition from residents at a packed City Council meeting on July 27.
Brown indicated flexibility on the program’s future. “There’s absolutely opportunities to modify the contract, to eliminate the contract, and try to find other ways to police our city,” he said.
The Twin Falls Police Department initially requested funding for 12 Flock cameras in its 2023 budget proposal. The devices use automatic license plate recognition technology to photograph vehicle tags and search them against databases, raising privacy questions among citizens who voiced concerns at the July 27 council gathering.
Police Department Scales Back Program in Response to Community Feedback
The Police Department has already taken several steps to narrow the program’s scope, suggesting it is responsive to public input. The agency opted out of a national lookup package that would have allowed broader data access. It also revoked Flock’s authorization to use Twin Falls data for the company’s own training purposes.
In another significant reduction, the Police Department dropped an $88,000 real-time video product from its fiscal year 2027 budget request. Lieutenant Steven Gassert acknowledged that these changes stemmed directly from community concerns. “We respect the information and opinions of the community members… we continue to look forward to having more conversation with community members and stakeholders,” Gassert said.
The Police Department has also made its Flock contracts publicly available, posting all agreements to its website to increase transparency around the program.
Budget Decision Looms in August
The city is scheduled to hold a public hearing on final budget recommendations and formally adopt the budget on August 24. That session will likely determine the scope of Flock’s continued role in Twin Falls law enforcement.
The debate reflects a broader tension between law enforcement’s use of surveillance technology and residents’ privacy expectations. Twin Falls joins other jurisdictions grappling with how to balance public safety tools against civil liberties concerns.
Brown’s openness to eliminating the contract entirely represents a significant concession to the community. The decision will ultimately rest with the full City Council, but the mayor’s comments signal that continued opposition could result in the program’s end rather than its expansion.
Residents interested in the outcome can attend the August 24 budget hearing or monitor future City Council meetings for updates on the Flock program’s status.
Related: Twin Falls Council Hears Public Debate Over License Plate Reader Camera Program
What Comes Next
The August 24 public hearing will be the city’s next formal opportunity to address the Flock camera contract. Residents who wish to voice their views should plan to attend or submit written comments to the Twin Falls City Council prior to that date. The council’s final budget vote will determine whether the program continues, is modified, or is terminated entirely.