10 signatures reached
To: Greer City Council, Mayor Rick Danner, City Administrator Mike Sell, and Police Chief Matt Hamby
Remove Flock Safety Cameras from Greer, SC
We are calling on the Greer City Council to take action by removing all Flock Safety automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras owned or operated by the City of Greer and ending the city's participation in the Flock Safety network.
Specifically, we ask the City to:
- Remove all Flock Safety cameras from public streets and intersections within Greer.
- Terminate any contracts or agreements with Flock Safety when legally possible.
- Stop collecting and storing the travel data of law-abiding citizens through this system.
- Increase transparency by publicly disclosing how surveillance technology is used, who has access to it, and how misuse is investigated.
- Hold public hearings before approving or expanding any future surveillance technology so residents have a voice in decisions that affect their privacy.
Recent reports that two Greer police officers were terminated for allegedly abusing the Flock camera system have raised legitimate concerns about oversight and public trust. Regardless of the intended purpose of these cameras, this incident demonstrates why strong accountability is essential whenever government has access to technology capable of tracking people's movements.
We believe Greer can support law enforcement while also protecting the privacy and civil liberties of its residents. We urge city leaders to act in the best interest of the community by removing this surveillance system and restoring public trust.
Specifically, we ask the City to:
- Remove all Flock Safety cameras from public streets and intersections within Greer.
- Terminate any contracts or agreements with Flock Safety when legally possible.
- Stop collecting and storing the travel data of law-abiding citizens through this system.
- Increase transparency by publicly disclosing how surveillance technology is used, who has access to it, and how misuse is investigated.
- Hold public hearings before approving or expanding any future surveillance technology so residents have a voice in decisions that affect their privacy.
Recent reports that two Greer police officers were terminated for allegedly abusing the Flock camera system have raised legitimate concerns about oversight and public trust. Regardless of the intended purpose of these cameras, this incident demonstrates why strong accountability is essential whenever government has access to technology capable of tracking people's movements.
We believe Greer can support law enforcement while also protecting the privacy and civil liberties of its residents. We urge city leaders to act in the best interest of the community by removing this surveillance system and restoring public trust.
Why is this important?
Why This Is Important
The rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution are meant to protect every American—not only when it is convenient, but especially when new technology gives the government greater power to monitor its citizens.
The Fourth Amendment protects the people against unreasonable searches and seizures and reflects the principle that Americans should be free from unnecessary government intrusion into their private lives. While courts continue to address how these protections apply to modern technology, many residents believe that widespread automated license plate reader systems raise important questions about privacy, data collection, and government oversight.
Recent reports that two Greer Police Department officers were terminated after allegedly misusing the city's Flock Safety camera system have reinforced those concerns. Although the alleged misuse was reportedly identified through an internal audit, the incident demonstrates that access to sensitive location data can be abused. Public trust is difficult to rebuild once it has been broken.
This petition is not against law enforcement. We appreciate the difficult job officers do every day and support efforts to keep our communities safe. However, public safety and constitutional freedoms should go hand in hand. Surveillance tools must be transparent, accountable, and used in a way that respects the rights of law-abiding citizens.
Our nation was founded on the principle that government derives its power from the consent of the people. As residents of Greer, we believe we have both the right and the responsibility to speak up when we feel government policies threaten our privacy and constitutional liberties.
We are asking our elected leaders to put the rights of the people first by removing Flock Safety cameras from Greer and ensuring that any future surveillance technology is subject to meaningful public oversight and accountability.
The rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution are meant to protect every American—not only when it is convenient, but especially when new technology gives the government greater power to monitor its citizens.
The Fourth Amendment protects the people against unreasonable searches and seizures and reflects the principle that Americans should be free from unnecessary government intrusion into their private lives. While courts continue to address how these protections apply to modern technology, many residents believe that widespread automated license plate reader systems raise important questions about privacy, data collection, and government oversight.
Recent reports that two Greer Police Department officers were terminated after allegedly misusing the city's Flock Safety camera system have reinforced those concerns. Although the alleged misuse was reportedly identified through an internal audit, the incident demonstrates that access to sensitive location data can be abused. Public trust is difficult to rebuild once it has been broken.
This petition is not against law enforcement. We appreciate the difficult job officers do every day and support efforts to keep our communities safe. However, public safety and constitutional freedoms should go hand in hand. Surveillance tools must be transparent, accountable, and used in a way that respects the rights of law-abiding citizens.
Our nation was founded on the principle that government derives its power from the consent of the people. As residents of Greer, we believe we have both the right and the responsibility to speak up when we feel government policies threaten our privacy and constitutional liberties.
We are asking our elected leaders to put the rights of the people first by removing Flock Safety cameras from Greer and ensuring that any future surveillance technology is subject to meaningful public oversight and accountability.