CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Cheektowaga residents called for the removal of the town's Flock camera system Tuesday, raising concerns about privacy, surveillance and whether enough safeguards are in place to prevent misuse.
Last month 7 News reported that three Cheektowaga Police Department employees had been suspended following an investigation into the alleged misuse of Flock cameras to track a fellow employee.
Some residents called for the town to dismantle the system entirely, while others said their opposition was not to the technology itself but to how it is being used and monitored.
"It is time for us to completely dismantle our Flock system," one resident said.
Another resident called on town officials to end the system's use, while others criticized what they described as a lack of responsiveness from town leaders.
Concerns centered on the number of cameras installed throughout the town, who has access to the information they collect and how searches of the system are monitored.
"I am not against Flock cameras. I am against the abuses and the fact that we do not have sufficient guardrails," one resident told officials.
Another questioned whether the safeguards were adequate, saying residents continued to see concerns about the system's use despite assurances that protections were in place.
Cheektowaga Town Supervisor Brian Nowak said the investigation into the alleged misuse is moving forward but chose not to comment on the case at this time.
Nowak said the town is weighing its options for the camera system while taking resident's concerns into account.
He said the town has made changes this year to how the system is administered, including limiting which town employees have access and increasing oversight.
"We have made some changes regarding who has access to that system in terms of town employees," Nowak said. "We have made some changes in the oversight of the system. There is still some more work to do."
Nowak said the town is responding to resident's concerns and adjusting its approach as officials learn more about the technology.
He acknowledged that Flock cameras can be misused but said they also provide a tool for investigators working to identify suspects and solve crimes.
"You have to weigh both," Nowak said, adding that he wants the town to retain what works while ensuring the system is properly regulated and helps keep neighborhoods safe.
WATCH: Cheektowaga residents call for removal of Flock cameras after alleged misuse
The alleged misuse has raised broader questions in the town about how the technology should be regulated and how the public can be assured that information collected through the system is being accessed for legitimate purposes.
Nowak said the town will continue weighing its options as it considers resident's feedback.
