Missouri City Just Smothered Its Flock Cameras With Trash Bags

If you'd like to start an argument with someone who lives in Missouri, bring up flock cameras. That's an almost guaranteed heated exchange as many in the state believe they are a privacy overreach while law enforcement says it helps them solve crimes. One Missouri place has taken the extreme measure of placing trash bags over every flock camera in the city.

I saw Yahoo News share a story today from Motor Biscuit about how Excelsior Springs decided to stop surveillance from the 15 flock cameras that were spread out across the city. They passed an ordinance that stopped funding for a contract with a flock camera company for next year and have the agreement canceled within 30 days. The day after that was passed, city crews were spotted putting trash bags on all the flock cameras.

Not everyone in Excelsior Springs is happy about the decision

The report says the police chief was disappointed due to the fact that his department had used the cameras to "help victims of crime". The Excelsior Springs Police Department will revert back to previous methods of incidents they deal with.

I am with the police chief of Excelsior Springs with his feelings about flock cameras. Mixed emotions is a good way to put it as I agree with privacy advocates that it can result in vast overreach especially if control of the cameras ends up in the hands of someone that does not use them ethically. But, I have many family members in law enforcement and I'm very much in favor of honorable officers being given all the tools they need to fight crime and protect residents. Are flock cameras a valid and needed tool to do that? Many in Missouri simply do not agree.