Columbus Activists Demand End to Flock Safety Surveillance Contract

Activists Submit Petition at City Council Meeting

Members of the Safety No Surveillance Coalition disrupted the proceedings shortly after council recognized city workers and Team Rubicon for storm response efforts. Activists made it clear they would not back down from their demands, with one participant stating on the record as reported by WSYX that they had collected about 700 signatures and would not be ignored. Council President Pro Tem Rob Dorans instructed the group to hand the paperwork over to staff members so the documents could reach individual council members.

Immigration Tracking and Privacy Concerns

Central to the ongoing debate are fears surrounding data sharing with federal immigration authorities and other law enforcement agencies. A Columbus Division of Police audit revealed 15,577 searches potentially linked to immigration enforcement, according to WSYX reporting. Critics argue that the Flock Safety system allows bad actors and law enforcement to monitor the daily commutes of BIPOC community members, immigrants, protestors, and individuals seeking reproductive health care.

Contract Expiration and Data Sharing Pauses

The confrontation follows a public hearing held earlier in the month where residents and police officers debated the operational value of the license plate-reading technology. While police maintain that the tools assist in investigating violent crimes and locating missing or endangered persons, community opponents contend the dragnet system fails to boost genuine community safety. Amid the mounting public pressure, the city already paused nationwide data sharing through Flock in June and halted statewide data sharing in July. The city’s current contract with Flock Safety is scheduled to expire in December.