A Flock camera in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, was destroyed, with the pole apparently cut in half and the camera system damaged. Debris, including the battery and other equipment, was left scattered on the north side of the road.
Concerns Over Surveillance Technology
Pleasant Hill police Capt. Amy Kramer described the damage as ‘a little bit disheartening’ and called it a case of property destruction. Kramer said some of the backlash may stem from misunderstandings about how the cameras work. ‘These cameras don’t track people or follow people around,’ she said.
Joe Tewell, a resident who lives near the destroyed camera, said he personally does not love cameras but does not justify destroying public equipment. Tewell suspects strong opinions about privacy may have played a role in the vandalism.
The destroyed camera will cost about $7,000 to replace, with the money coming from the city. The incident adds to a growing debate over the use of license plate reader technology in local communities.
Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.
