FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Fresno police leaders defended the department’s use of Flock surveillance cameras during a community forum Monday night, as residents packed a central Fresno meeting to voice concerns about privacy, data collection and government oversight.
More than 50 people attended the forum at the Ted C. Wills Center, with speakers overwhelmingly opposing the city’s continued use of the camera system.
“We have to find a balance between safety and liberty,” Fresno Police Chief Mindy Casto said.
The meeting comes amid growing criticism of Flock cameras, which capture images of vehicles and license plates to help law enforcement identify and track suspects connected to crimes.
Several residents argued the technology threatens personal privacy and should be removed.
“This should be an alarm bell; I don’t know any of these people, and they don’t know me either!” one speaker said during public comment.
“You have asked our opinion on Flock, and we have made it resoundingly known. I hope you make the right choice and end the contract with Flock and remove the cameras,” another resident said.
Despite the criticism, Casto and the Fresno Police Department maintained their support for the program, citing its role in criminal investigations. According to the department, Flock cameras were used in 79% of homicide cases and 39% of shooting investigations over the past year.
Approximately 70 cameras have been installed in locations identified by the department as having elevated risks for violent crime.
“I would hate to have a tool available to us that we don’t use to bring justice to those families in Fresno,” Casto said.
Critics expressed concerns that the technology could be used to monitor travel patterns or collect additional personal information. Casto told attendees that the system does not use facial recognition and emphasized restrictions on data sharing.
According to the department, information gathered through the cameras can only be shared with 24 other California law enforcement agencies, which must provide written justification when requesting data from Fresno.
“I’m hearing what’s important to you, not all of it I’m gonna agree with, because I’m gonna tell you right now this technology saves lives,” Casto said.
The local debate comes as Flock technology has faced scrutiny elsewhere. In Texas, a sheriff’s office lieutenant recently acknowledged using Flock cameras outside official law enforcement duties. In Southern California, the Los Angeles Police Department ended its contract with Flock following concerns about privacy and surveillance.
“This is very pervasive surveillance, and there’s, you know, nothing regulating it…” said activist Chris Whipper.
Department officials said they conduct monthly audits of camera usage. Casto said the department is exploring whether those audits can be made public to provide residents with greater transparency about how the system is being used.
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