Jerome County sheriff cancels Flock camera contract, redirects funds to deputy salaries

JEROME — Jerome County will not renew its contract with Flock Safety, as the sheriff’s office redirects $24,000 in annual licensing fees toward deputy salaries amid growing controversy over the license plate reader technology.

Sheriff Gary Taylor said public perception and past issues within his own agency drove the decision.

“With the public perception, what had happened in our own agency in the past, I just don’t feel that I’m gonna renew it for this upcoming year, fiscal year. With the help of our county commissioners, we’ve decided to take the money we spent on Flock and we’ll put it into salaries of our employees here,” Taylor said.

Jerome County operated eight Flock cameras under the contract. Taylor said the redirected funds could help retain staff in a tight budget year.

“And possibly some raises. I know the budget is tight this year, but every little bit counts — and I have some great employees that I would like to keep working here,” Taylor said.

Unlike city council meetings in Jerome and Twin Falls, where citizen groups have shown up to protest the technology, no organized public opposition pushed the county toward this decision. Jerome County Commissioner Charlie Howell said the move came from Taylor himself.

“I haven’t had a single person really talk to me, in Jerome, about ‘we need it’ (or) ‘we don’t need it,” Howell said.

Howell said Taylor raised both legal concerns and staffing needs when he brought the issue to the commission.

“He decided that even though they were a good thing to use, that there were some complications with the book — legally, in his mind — but he needed the money to pay his staff. So then the discussion came to the commissioners; he says: ‘How do we move this money to get my deputies paid?'” Howell said.

The decision comes after former Jerome County Sheriff George Oppedyke made thousands of illegal Flock searches before resigning in 2025. Taylor said he hopes the Idaho State Legislature will establish clearer rules and stronger penalties for misuse of automated license plate readers.

“A lot of other states have criminal code that’s attached with this (camera use) that has a lot of teeth. Idaho’s right now is very vague. I think it’s going to be up to our legislators to come up with some kind of remedy for deterrence for misuse of automated license plate readers,” Taylor said.