this town
Troy, New York
Police used a series of drive-by shootings as a reason to secretly install a bunch of flock cameras without telling the city counsel or the public.
It is unclear if the Mayor knew about the deal.
City council found out from complaints, investigated, and paused funding for the cameras until they could talk to flock about security and public safety concerns.
Mayor decided to declare a state of emergency to override city counsel.
City counsel is now suing the Mayor.
The cameras are still being funded and still operational.
Sounds to me like more public officials need to be recalled via non confidence vote. Starting with this mayor.
I mean city council at least appear to be attempting their job. Not sure what else they can do while staying within the system.
Agreed. Often though, Judges are elected. So unless the lawsuit is successful, the constituency don’t have a whole lot of avenues besides protest and recalling the mayor and possibly judges.
They don’t have a whole lot of legal avenues.
Companies like Flock really should be forced to do some due diligence on whether a city ran a publicly-known vote before they fulfill an order for cameras
Flock can’t hear you, they’re too busy counting their gigantic pile of money.
You’re right, obviously, but this is America so corporations have more rights than people.
Flock can hear you.
And it can see you.
and it knows what you’re thinking.
and thats why its alerted authorities about you and your subversive anti-corporate attitude.
Can I borrow someone’s reciprocating saw? I need it for… reasons.
I’ve got a little hacksaw and some extra batteries.
That could work.
Man, this article really reads as some tech dystopia / 1984 shit. It’s full of bad faith arguments by those who approved and/or operate the flock cameras. Really scary stuff to see play out in reality.
This quote sums things up super well, highlighting the danger of what we are seeing at the national level flowing down into local governments:
The mayor has gone far beyond her lawful authority. If left unchallenged, it sets a dangerous precedent where the mayor can claim a public safety emergency any time she disagrees with the legislative branch, creating an unchecked power that echoes what is happening in Washington.
Live nearby and work in Troy. The mayor is an absolute dipshit and as corrupt as Trump.
Article is paywalled.
Thank you.
