Flockuay Varina - Speak up on Sept 8th?
I just started digging into this, and honestly, what the hell are we doing?
Fuquay-Varina currently has 16 Flock license-plate-reader cameras according to the latest available data. That's up from 11 in 2024. These aren't ordinary security cameras. They photograph passing vehicles, identify plates and vehicle characteristics, record where and when the vehicle was seen, and put that information into a searchable law-enforcement network. You are surveiled constantly and BEFORE you do anything wrong.
And before anyone says "If you're not doing anything wrong, who cares?" here's what has actually happened with this technology right here in North Carolina:
• Mooresville: A police officer was arrested this month after allegedly using Flock 31 times to track her boyfriend's ex-wife. The abuse was discovered through an audit.
• Charlotte: A CMPD officer was arrested after an investigation into an allegedly unauthorized Flock search. CMPD didn't even own the cameras (!) the officers accessed the network through a data-sharing agreement.
• New Hanover County: Public records show 2.98 MILLION Flock searches over the period examined. The county redacted the identities of the agencies and officers performing those searches.
The rest of the Old North State isn't waiting around.
Hillsborough canceled. Pittsboro canceled. Chatham County canceled. Macon County voted 5–0 to defund its program. Apex's contract (up for renewal in Jan 2027) is on life support, God bless 'em.
So here's my question:
Why does Fuquay-Varina need a searchable record of where innocent residents' cars have been?
I'm not anti-police. I'm not anti-investigation. If there's a murder, stolen car, missing child, etc., investigate it. Use every legitimate tool available.
But there's a massive difference between:
"We have a crime. Let's investigate it."
and
"Let's record everyone's movements and search the database later if someone becomes interesting."
I think Fuquay-Varina should be the former.
I've contacted the Town Board and am meeting with a few of the commissioners directly next week (Adcock, etc.) I'm planning to speak at the September 8 Town Board meeting.
If you're a Fuquay-Varina resident and this bothers you too, come with me. I'd love to have 5, 10, 50 people standing there asking the same basic question:
What exactly did we buy, who can search it, who can share it, how long is our data retained, and why do we need it at all?
The NC records repository is here if you want to dig into the actual documents yourself:
https://deflockilm.org/nc-records-repository/
It's time to find out what the town used our money to buy, and what ROI we are getting on that investment. I suspect it may be negative.
