Mass Surveillance in Creedmoor

The addition of Flock Surveillance cameras into Creedmoor has led to a surveillance network that broadcasts the daily comings and goings of everyone who lives or travels through Creedmoor to over 200 police departments, both in and out of state, and federal law enforcement [1]. While I believe the board of commissioners believes that this data is not being used for immigration enforcement or other prohibited reasons, the agencies that we share data with will use it against the wishes of the city [2]. Even if these agencies respect the wishes of the Creedmoor Board of Commissioners, the Flock Surveillance company will not.

Flock Surveillance was recently exposed as accessing Flock cameras without customer consent. The common understanding is that Flock Surveillance cameras only detect and read car license plates. The reality is that the cameras are triggered on any movement, will detect and record humans, and have the ability to show live views like traditional surveillance cameras. They also will detect people and classify them based on characteristics [5]. Recently Flock company employees were opening cameras and watching live streams of unsuspecting kids and adults at an Atlanta JCC [3][6]. Flock says this isn’t allowed by their policy, but they’re clearly lying as shown in the audit logs from other jurisdictions.

So not only are we sharing data with over 200 different police departments and federal law enforcement, it is very difficult, if not impossible to, get public records related to the use of this data. Multiple North Carolina state laws would make releasing any sort of transparent release impossible. N.C.G.S. § 20-183.32(e), § 132-1.7(a).4, and § 132-1.4 [4] make it impossible for the citizens to be transparently aware of how police are conducting searches of people living in and passing through Creedmoor.

I am calling on you, as citizens of Creedmoor and as the board of commissioners with oversight, to cancel the current contract and not renew the contract for this surveillance system.

While it is well understood that mass surveillance is both psychologically distressing and legally prohibited, we’re relying solely on the judgement of our police department, and the 200 jurisdictions we share data with, to act honorably. But if they don’t there’s really nothing we can do as citizens of Creedmoor as we are left in the dark. We must get rid of these cameras and this system that does not respect the privacy or rights of the citizens of Creedmoor.

Ryan Brown
info@deflocknc.org