Resident urges stronger privacy guardrails for Flock cameras; council sets Sept. 30 briefing with sheriff

During the citizen-comment period, a resident identifying herself as Susie told the council she had reviewed open-source data and believed there were about five automated license-plate-reading cameras within Washington Terrace city limits, including locations near the high school and elementary school. She said she was concerned not only about the cameras’ presence but about how the data are used and who controls them.

"97% of these searches on mass surveillance in Weber Veil from February 2022 to July 2026 were from outside of Utah," Susie said, and added that "less than 1% of all cars scanned by mass surveillance cameras are connected to any crime or wrongdoing." She urged stronger steps to protect residents’ privacy and called the council’s pause on new contracts only a first step.

Council members thanked Susie and said staff will gather more information. The chair and staff told the audience that the city will host a meeting with county representatives and the sheriff’s department on Sept. 30 to allow elected officials and staff to question the sheriff’s office directly about how the cameras were permitted, who installed them and how the data are being used. Staff said any directive to change or shut down existing county-installed devices would require a council vote or other formal action after the county briefing.