Residents urge Adams County commissioners to reconsider Flock license-plate cameras; no action taken today

Dozens of residents pressed the Adams County commissioners to reconsider the county's contract with Flock, a license-plate-reading technology the county installed after a 2-1 vote in May 2024. Commissioners did not take formal action at the meeting but said they would work with the sheriff to explain how the system is controlled and whether contract or policy changes are appropriate.

"I am an American citizen with rights covered under the constitution," said Zach, a local business owner and Army veteran who said he runs a "Stop Flock Adams County" page and urged the commission to remove or restrict the cameras. "If police cannot do their jobs without Flock cameras, they do not need to be police officers anymore." He also asked the commission to consider evening meetings to allow more residents to attend.

Monica Miller, another public commenter, cited a wave of cancellations and nonrenewals by other cities and counties for similar systems and urged commissioners to use contract termination and non-appropriation clauses to rescind surveillance agreements. "We are petitioning the county council to rescind and revoke all surveillance cameras now and in the future," she said.

On behalf of the commission, a sitting commissioner said he had voted to enter the county's contract and framed the system as a license-plate-reader that, in his view, can be governed through CJIS-controlled dispatch and sheriff oversight. He acknowledged abuses reported elsewhere and said the panel would ask the sheriff to describe audit, supervisor-override and data-sharing guardrails so the commissioners can assess whether local controls are adequate.

The chair told speakers the topic was not on the agenda and no immediate action would be taken today, but residents repeatedly asked that the county place Flock on a future agenda for fuller public debate. Staff explained that formal action requires an agenda item and that contract termination would need legal review of termination-for-convenience or non-appropriation clauses before the county could act.

The meeting moved on after the public-comment period. Commissioners said they expect additional discussions with the sheriff and county staff before any change to the contract or operational rules.