STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — Debate surrounding Steubenville’s use of Flock Safety license plate reader cameras continued Tuesday as residents brought concerns before City Council and officials weighed the technology’s benefits against questions about privacy and oversight.
During the meeting, residents expressed differing views on whether the cameras should remain in use. Some urged council to remove the system or establish stronger controls over how it operates.
Councilman-at-Large Joel Walker made a motion supporting the continued use of the cameras. Walker said he believes their value as a crime-solving tool outweighs concerns surrounding the technology.
Unlike traditional surveillance cameras that primarily record video, Flock cameras capture license plate and vehicle information that can be searched as part of investigations. Walker noted that the system can also connect information across participating Flock camera networks outside the city.
Opponents questioned the amount of information being collected and how that information can be accessed or shared. During the meeting, one resident cited a figure of 816,676 records involving outside-source searches of local license plate information.
Fourth Ward Councilman Royal Mayo has opposed the city’s use of the cameras and raised concerns about how they were initially implemented. Mayo said City Council did not vote to approve their installation and argued that residents should have had greater input before the technology was introduced.
Mayo also raised concerns about outside access to information collected through the system and called for greater oversight.
The discussion comes amid broader scrutiny of automated license plate reader systems and the ways information can be shared between participating agencies.
No final decision was made Tuesday. City Council is expected to consider an ordinance addressing the Flock camera program in the coming weeks.
