Council approves trial of Flock vehicle cameras despite privacy and accuracy concerns

The Washington Terrace City Council voted 4-1 on March 17 to approve a trial period for Flock license-plate reader cameras to be installed at city ingress and egress points.

Council Member Michael Thomas moved to approve the trial and Council Member Anna Davidson seconded. The motion passed with Davidson, Parkinson, West and Thomas voting aye and Council Member Zunayid Z. Zishan voting no.

Council members who supported the trial emphasized public-safety benefits. Council Member Jeff West said the cameras "will be in an area that only tracks vehicles" and argued the system can help recover stolen vehicles and assist in open investigations. Mayor Mark C. Allen said the sheriff's office "has shown safe handling of the entire system" and noted that the technology has been used to catch suspects in serious cases.

Opponents cited accuracy and privacy concerns. Council Member Zishan referenced recent reporting and a research summary, saying "misreads of vehicles and license plates can happen 10 percent of the time," and added that third-party operators had admitted to sharing data with federal authorities without notifying contracting cities. Resident Casey Sanders, during public comment, urged the council to "slow down, gather public input and evaluate long term risks" and warned that camera systems and their data are not immune to hacks.

City Manager Tom Hanson and Lt. Sean Endsley of the Weber County Sheriff’s Office described operational safeguards and costs. Hanson said the sheriff currently pays for three cameras in the city and that the city would pay for three additional cameras during the trial; he also said setup fees were waived for the trial and that relocating a camera could cost between $150 and $750 depending on infrastructure. Hanson said the platforms will be governed by clear protocols on who can access the information. Lt. Endsley said keeping staffing and service levels would require the proposed funding.

Council discussion referenced private surveillance cameras in the corridor (for example, a privately owned toll booth camera) and whether those systems could provide the timely, accessible data police need in investigations. The council did not adopt permanent policy changes at the meeting; it approved only the trial period and directed staff to follow established protocols during the trial.