August 20, 2025 City Council Meeting

Announcements

• The application process for candidates for an open seat is open until 📅 Friday at 5:00 PM.
• The first orientation meeting for committee members is scheduled for this week.
• The goal is to fill the open seat by 📅 September 9th, or by 📅 September 23rd at the latest.

Key Decisions & Votes

• Approval to proceed with the use of Flock cameras for the police department. The City Council voted unanimously to move forward with the implementation of Flock license plate reader (LPR) cameras following a detailed discussion.

Financial Matters 💰

• The proposed cost for Flock cameras is $3,500 per camera per year for leasing, which includes installation, maintenance, and software upgrades.
• Initial deployment is estimated at 10 cameras ($30,000 annually).
• An ideal expansion to 15 cameras ($45,000 annually) was suggested to provide more effective coverage across the city.
• A one-time installation fee of $500 per camera may be waived based on the purchase timeline.

Public Comments & Council Concerns

• Privacy and Data Usage:
  • Council members raised concerns about Flock's potential collaboration with ICE and the tracking of individuals for sensitive issues, such as self-administered abortions. Flock clarified their system is customizable and does not work with ICE, and the specific abortion-related case cited was a missing person for health and safety. The Norman Police Department (NPD) affirmed their policy prohibits such uses and aligns with protecting vulnerable community members.
  • Questions were posed regarding the legal framework for LPR use in Oklahoma, noting a state statute primarily for compulsory liability insurance enforcement and a district court case that suppressed LPR evidence in an interdiction case. Federal courts generally uphold fixed LPRs against Fourth Amendment challenges.
  • Concerns about Flock's AI capabilities for "suspicious movement" and potential biases were addressed. Flock stated their LPR system is separate and focuses on vehicles identified as suspect in crimes, not mass surveillance.
  • Inquiries about data breaches, open records laws, and changes to terms of service were made. Flock reported no breaches, is contractually obligated to report any, and emphasized that data (license plates) is encrypted and owned by the agency, not Flock. Less than 1% of images are used for machine learning, stripped of metadata, solely for accuracy improvement.
• System Implementation & Oversight:
  • A council member suggested consulting with the Chief of Police in Moore, OK, or other partner agencies (Oklahoma City, Midwest City) for insights on their experiences with Flock cameras.
  • NPD clarified that access to Flock data is restricted to dispatch supervisors for urgent matters, two crime analysts, and a few detectives. All searches are audited, requiring a case number and reason.
  • NPD stated that Flock was selected as an industry standard after reviewing other vendors.
  • Regarding departments that have declined or stopped using Flock, budgetary reasons were cited as typical for cessation.
  • NPD emphasized that their LPR policy is consistent with state and regional standards, reflecting the department's culture of protecting community members and mitigating against potential abuse.
• Impact on Crime:
  • Discussion centered on whether Flock cameras reduce crime or primarily aid in faster investigations and increased prosecution rates. The Mayor of San Francisco was cited as attributing a 41% decrease in auto theft and a 46% increase in prosecutions to Flock.
  • NPD provided examples of Flock's effectiveness in solving cases like armed robbery, locating missing persons (elderly, kidnapped children), and human trafficking cases, highlighting its "invaluable" role in law enforcement.

Agenda Summary Table