By Miles Layton

I’ve lived in a lot of places, from Athens, Ohio, to Winchester, Kentucky, and I certainly know my way around West Virginia.

Thus, I’m paying attention to the Flock camera debate in places near and far, among other issues.

Representing a growing city of around 25,000 souls, the Athens City Council has been discussing its Flock agreement amid community and national concerns, as police leadership concludes that the system’s law-enforcement value is limited compared with its potential downsides. Police said Flock helped solve cases and that the department strictly controlled data sharing and enforced use policies. Story’s photo is of Mayor Steve Patterson.

Meanwhile, in our neck of the woods, Plymouth, a town of around 3,200 people, has been discussing the pros and cons of Flock cameras, too. See our story here.

And I’ve gotten a call or two from prominent local law officers saying the cameras are useful to law enforcement.

Councilman John Shelton, a former police officer, shared his thoughts on Flock cameras and where Plymouth’s Flock data goes. Citing Katz v. United States, Shelton argued that Flock bypasses a safeguard he relied on as an officer: going to a judge to obtain a warrant to track a suspect.

Citing the company’s transparency portal, Shelton noted the town shares information with agencies in Georgia, Pennsylvania and Texas. “We don’t have any control over what Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, does when they go in and look at our data,” he said during a recent council meeting.

Police Captain Kevin Phelps reported that 17 cameras were running, including four of the seven planned license-plate readers. The system produced 21 “hot list” alerts in 30 days, though he couldn’t say how many were accurate. Seven searches were run, each tied to a case or accident report. Only he and the police chief have access. “I’m actually very happy with Flock,” he said.

Back to Athens: If you’ve never been there, it is a scenic and historic city in Southeast Ohio, home to Ohio University — see the photo above.

Let this sink in: Police Chief Nick Magruder said Flock helped solve cases and that the department strictly controlled data sharing and enforced use policies. But after reviewing the system alongside local and national debate, department leadership concluded its law enforcement value was limited compared with its potential downsides and recommended ending the contract. Mayor Patterson is supportive of the APD’s recommendation.

Magruder sent this statement recommending changes to Mayor Patterson for Monday’s City Council meeting:

“The City of Athens has chosen to discontinue its Flock agreement following community discussions and ongoing public concerns regarding the use of the system. During the term of the agreement, Flock was a useful investigative tool in many situations and provided officers with information that assisted in solving and investigating cases for the Athens Police Department. Furthermore, the Department was very strict with settings on information sharing and access, and enforced all policy on proper use. The Department leadership, along with department members, jointly reviewed the system’s overall use and value in law enforcement, while also considering local public concerns and the wider national discussion regarding its continued use. After weighing all these factors, we determined that Flock’s law enforcement value was limited in relation to its potential detriment. The Department leadership subsequently recommended to the city administration to discontinue the agreement, which we intend to do.”

My take: This is huge! I’ll say it again: While I understand the usefulness of Flock cameras for law enforcement, I’m skeptical of government in general. The less our country gravitates toward a surveillance state, the better off we’ll be as free citizens.