March City Council Sessions
Hi folks!
At the last City Council meeting, the FLOCK camera system was approved for use by the Cheney Police. I spoke on record during the meeting to express my concerns about privacy in relation to the contract being considered. Personally, I oppose the use of FLOCK cameras altogether. While I’ve experienced several hate-crime-related thefts on my own property that, in theory, could have been resolved with FLOCK cameras in place, I still strongly believe that our day-to-day privacy is not worth sacrificing for such systems. I oppose the erosion of personal privacy in favor of what could lead to a government surveillance state.
By the time of the Council meeting, the decision to adopt the system had effectively already been made—the discussion had shifted on approval for how it would be implemented. This is where I focused my concerns. Supporters of the system pointed out that other police and sheriff agencies across Spokane County already use FLOCK cameras, suggesting Cheney should follow suit. I do not know what oversight the other agencies have in place (if any...) and I have only a general sense of those agencies reputation and level of trust within the community. I have witnessed our Cheney Police rebuild community trust and strengthen their reputation under Chief Beghtol's leadership, and I fear that this system, if mismanaged, could undermine those efforts. For this reason, I advocated for adjustments to the contract to address data privacy concerns.
I was deeply disappointed, though not surprised, that the Council approved the default FLOCK contract without addressing the privacy concerns raised by myself or Jacqueline Belock—the lone City Councilmember who voiced opposition. I am incredibly grateful to Councilmember Belock for using her voice to stand up for our community and defend everyone’s right to privacy. Since the meeting, I have been reflecting on what steps we, as community members, can take to address this issue. I hope to have a tangible proposal soon. As a dear friend in the cybersecurity industry often reminds me, "privacy is an uphill battle."
You can watch the recording of the March 11th City Council meeting on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiXqAbV0z-k
This week is again a Council meeting week on Tuesday. You can look at the agenda posted to the City's website:
There is a lot packed into this week's agenda. Most of it seems pretty standard procedure items though. Nothing jumps out to me as something to deep dive into.
I encourage everyone to take the courageous step of speaking at City Council meetings during the public comment period. You can sign up on the sheet in person before the meeting begins, or, if inspired, speak impromptu when the Mayor opens the floor to additional comments. This is your opportunity to address any topic in our community that you believe the Council should be aware of or needs to take action on. Just remember to keep your remarks within the two-minute time limit.
As always, a reminder that democracy only works when we participate.
Cheers,
~ Rebecca