Pocatello to hold town hall on Flock cameras next month
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POCATELLO – Pocatello residents have been invited by the city to attend a town hall meeting where information will be presented on a controversial technology new to the area.
On Oct. 21, the city will hold a town hall meeting on Flock cameras, which will feature a presentation by Pocatello Police Department staff, and a chance for attendees to field their questions and concerns about the technology.
In a written statement, Mayor Mark Dahlquist explained the reasoning behind the town hall, saying that it’s important for residents to both receive accurate information about Flock cameras, and for residents to have an official forum to speak on the matter.
“It’s important to give our law enforcement officials an opportunity to demonstrate how the Flock cameras work, show what data they capture, explain how the technology has assisted with criminal investigations, and describe the policies the Pocatello Police Department has in place in order to avoid misuse,” Dahlquist says.
In the statement, Dahlquist doesn’t take an official stance on Flock cameras, and leaves removing them on the table.
“At the same time, the Town Hall meeting is an opportunity for residents to voice their concerns about vehicle tracking and provide direct feedback before we move forward with decisions on renewing, modifying, or ending vendor contracts,” Dahlquist said.
The cameras in question are officially called ALPR cameras, with Flock Safety being the company the city signed a contract with to bring the technology to the area in December 2024.
Since then, Flock cameras, and ALPR cameras more broadly, entered the national conversation, with opponents opposing the cameras as a violation of privacy, and proponents arguing they are useful as a crime-fighting tool.
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When the Pocatello City Council voted to authorize the contract with Flock Safety, it was opposed only by Council member Hayden Paulsen. Council members Dakota Bates, Stacy Satterfield and Ann Swanson were not on the council at the time, and Dahlquist had not yet taken office.
On Saturday, Sept. 19, Paulsen held a town hall on Flock cameras, and told EastIdahoNews.com in the lead-up to the event that he would launch a ballot initiative there. In his statement, Dahlquist addressed this ballot measure, and said it didn’t come as a surprise because he and Paulsen discussed the topic, “and I don’t intend to suppress his efforts in any way.”
“I appreciate and respect Councilman Paulsen’s perspectives about Flock cameras,” Dahlquist says. “One thing I admire about our current council is that they each have their own ideas and passions but at the end of the day, we remain professional, civil and show the ability to have healthy and respectful dialogue.”