UPDATE: Columbia’s council to vote tonight on Flock cameras

By Brian Hauswirth
jill schlude

Columbia’s city council is set to vote Monday evening on a bill that would authorize the purchase of camera systems for Columbia Police and for the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department.

columbia city hall
Columbia City Hall (2021 file photo courtesy of city of Columbia)

Columbia Police chief Jill Schlude has asked the council to approve the cameras, saying Flock Safety technology would be used to combat crime in the city. The bill would authorize the appropriation of $539,000 from general fund reserves and would authorize city manager De’Carlon Seewood to sign a contract with the Flock group. The city council’s three-page report on the issue says the Flock Safety camera system consists of license plate recognition (LPR) cameras and live-view intersection cameras that can be strategically placed to capture data about license plates and vehicles used to commit crimes. The council packet says Flock technology does not detect people and does not utilize facial recognition.

CPD says vehicles are involved in 70 percent of crimes.

Columbia Police held eight meetings about the cameras in August. Critics of the cameras have privacy concerns. There is also support for the cameras. The Columbia Board of Realtors is asking the council to approve the cameras, saying they can be used to help reduce various crimes in the city. The Board of Realtors is also optimistic that providing officers with Flock will help with future recruitment.