Lake City rejects vote on Flock cameras

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(The Center Square) – Residents in Lake City will not be able to vote on whether they agree with the police department’s use of Flock cameras after city council members shot down putting the question on the ballot.

The resolution under consideration during Monday night’s meeting would have placed a nonbinding referendum up for voters to consider concerning the use of AI-powered license plate readers and vehicular data collection cameras known as Flock cameras.

Council Member James Carter, who was one of two who voted in favor of putting the question on the ballot, said it would not have automatically changed any policies or rules, but it would have essentially acted as a public opinion poll.

“It is a nonbinding referendum. All it will do, if we add it to it, is inform us what the voters feel about the issue. It doesn’t change a rule that we don’t change afterwards,” said Carter, who said he is personally not in favor of the cameras. “If it comes back and it’s 90% of voters say they love it, then my recommendation would be that we do nothing.”

Carter’s take clashed with other members including Council Member Chevella Young.

“They are necessary,” Young said Monday. “Because law enforcement [officers] are human too and we’re in 2026. Our Fourth Amendment, our right to speak, our right to privacy, what good is privacy if you’re in the grave? We need these Flock cameras. We need the safety.”

Lake City Police Chief Gerald Butler told the council he has seen positive results and reduced crime after installing the cameras.

“When I became chief about five years ago, obviously we had a gun violence issue in this city. We still have gun violence, however, the Flock system along with other law enforcement techniques have contributed to significantly reducing the amount of gun violence in this city. You don’t have to believe me, look at the actual numbers,” said Butler.

Lately, Flock camera technology has come under fire as instances of misuse have come to light.

Last month, Sumter County Sheriff Patrick Breeden suspended the use of Flock and called for a complete internal audit of all the databases after the department discovered one of its detectives had abused the Flock databases to gain information about her husband’s ex-wife.

Carter highlighted the concerns over misuse during Monday’s meeting.

“This is not just here,” Carter said. “Cities all over the state and all over the country are asking similar questions and trying to get to the bottom of whether or not they want to be this sort of place.”