Wellsville, Kansas, Police Department ditching Flock camera system after community concerns
Another city in Kansas is saying goodbye to Flock cameras amid growing concerns about their use.
Wellsville, Kansas, Police Chief Danny Hackler shared a statement about the license plate reading cameras on social media Thursday.
Hackler acknowledged residents' concerns surrounding the cameras and said he wanted to make sure community members "feel heard and respected."
"After careful consideration, I have made the decision to terminate all agreements between the City of Wellsville Police Department and Flock Safety. These agreements have been in place since October 2023," Hackler said. "Moving forward, the cameras will be covered, and authorization for their use by staff will be removed."
Hackler also clarified the number of Flock cameras in the city. While the Flock Safety map indicates there are three cameras, that is due to a camera location change.
There are two cameras — one on First Street just west of Ash Street, and another on 10th Street and Main Street. The second camera was originally located on K-33.
Flock cameras have been in use around the country for years. But more and more people are expressing their concerns with privacy and overreaching surveillance capabilities.
Wellsville isn't the first city in the area to ditch the camera system.
Earlier this week, the Gardner, Kansas, City Council agreed to turn off the city's Flock cameras and not renew the contract.
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