HUNTINGTON — Huntington City Council members on Monday voted in favor of an ordinance to put guardrails in place for the Flock Safety cameras they approved in July.
The ordinance aims to address public concerns regarding misuse of the technology, and would put safeguards in place such as authorized and prohibited uses, data retention and sharing, oversight, audits and enforcement.
Council voted in favor of five-year professional services contract totaling $2.1 million with Flock Safety, a private company, to provide the Huntington Police Department with license plate readers, live video cameras, audio detection and drone services.
The approval came after hours of public comment, much of it from people who oppose the technology.
The ordinance had a first reading during a public safety committee meeting last month, and since that time, concerns and recommendations from council members and the public have been incorporated, including a public complaint process and a requirement that complaints over misuse be retained for a minimum of five years.
During Monday's council meeting, council members Sarah Walling and Tia Fix Rumbaugh voiced questions and concerns about the adequacy of the p...