Troy weighs Flock Camera renewal; residents concerned about privacy, data
Troy weighs Flock Camera renewal; residents concerned about privacy, data
Publish Date: 2026-03-13 21:24:00
Source Domain: cbs6albany.com
TROY, NY (WRGB) — Troy is discussing the renewal of its Flock Camera system, amid a call from some residents to remove the license plate readers entirely.
In a post on Facebook Friday, Mayor Carmella Mantello said the Flock license plate readers have been in place since 2021, under both Democrat and Republican mayors. In her post, she stated, “As I mentioned last week there is an effort to remove this one of many critical tools in homicide/gun-shooting cases to stolen vehicles to missing persons and more.”
The license plate-reading devices capture images of license plates and identify the make and model of vehicles, according to city officials. There are 26 cameras located throughout the city.
Renewal of the Flock Cameras for 2 more years is on the agenda for next Thursday’s Finance Meeting at 6 pm.
Last week, residents addressed the city council, asking that the cameras be removed or at least temporarily disabled, citing concerns about the use of the technology and how it works. Among their concerns were the storage of data the cameras collect, who has access to that footage, and privacy rights, particularly for marginalized residents.
In her post, Mantello urged residents to reach out to their city councilmembers in support of retaining the devices.
