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What's Happening
- Flock reinstalled two AI surveillance cameras in Dayton, Minnesota, after the city ordered the company to halt work.
- The Dayton local government posted on Facebook that the police department received a maintenance work order on September 17.
- City officials responded the next day to confirm the program was on hold, but Flock reinstalled the cameras without authorization.
Why It Matters
The unauthorized installation highlights a breakdown in vendor compliance with municipal directives. Cities deploying automated surveillance infrastructure face challenges in maintaining operational control over third-party hardware.
The Context
- The Dayton city council voted on August 25 to suspend the automatic license plate reader program following community privacy concerns.
- A past incident involved police detaining a car reviewer after a Flock camera misread the vehicle's tags.
- The company's chief information security officer gave false assurances to the Oshkosh City Council regarding the system's heat map capabilities.
What They're Saying
- Dayton officials stated they put the program on hold and prohibited further work orders.
What to Watch
- Citizens spotted the two cameras and complained, prompting the local government to explain the situation on social media.
The Bottom Line
Flock ignored a direct municipal order and reinstalled surveillance hardware in a city that had suspended its contract over privacy concerns.