WMVO Good Times Great Oldies
Public concern over Mount Vernon’s Flock automated license plate reader system drew a standing-room-only crowd Monday night, with residents asking city leaders to adopt written policies, increase transparency and provide greater public oversight of the technology.
More than a dozen people signed up to speak during the City Council meeting, the majority focusing their comments on the city’s network of automated license plate reader cameras. Speakers repeatedly emphasized they support law enforcement’s efforts to solve crime but argued that surveillance technology should include clear safeguards and public accountability.
Joshua Morrison told council he has spent months requesting information about the system and believes residents deserve more transparency.
“Government works for the people. The people deserve a voice in deciding what kind of community we become,” Morrison said.
Morrison said the city’s transparency portal indicates approximately 130,000 vehicle reads occur every 30 days, and questioned whether a program of that scale should have received additional public discussion before implementation.
Several speakers requested that the city adopt a formal written policy governing how officers use the system, require periodic audits of searches and hold public hearings before expanding the network.
Dylan Foster urged council to focus on accountability rather than eliminating the technology altogether.
“Good intentions are not oversight,” Foster said. “I’m asking you to build that oversight.”
Foster also asked the city to clarify what agencies can access Mount Vernon’s data, whether searches are independently reviewed and whether future technology upgrades could expand the system’s capabilities.
Other residents raised concerns about data privacy, cybersecurity and the potential for misuse. Michelle Mood said she understands why law enforcement adopted the technology but believes additional safeguards are necessary.
“These four safeguards do not stop legitimate local policing. They simply build a necessary firewall between our daily commutes and an unregulated national grid,” she said.
Several speakers referenced reports from other communities where license plate reader systems have generated privacy concerns and urged Mount Vernon to adopt local protections before problems arise.
No formal action on the Flock camera program was taken Monday night. Council members listened to public testimony before continuing with the remainder of the meeting agenda.
The discussion follows growing public interest in the city’s use of automated license plate readers and is expected to continue as council reviews future public safety policies.
