Dayton pauses Flock cameras; St. Paul to debate surveillance
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24 August 2026. [AI first draft. Verify every fact against the source before publishing.]
Dayton and St. Paul are moving forward with separate actions on Flock automated license plate reader cameras this week. In Dayton, the city council is set to vote on a program pause after the city proactively removed and deactivated all seven cameras from service as of August 20, 2026, according to a city document. This action follows a community meeting held the previous week where residents raised concerns about the technology. In St. Paul, the city council is scheduled to hold a special meeting Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. for a public hearing focused on police surveillance technology and data privacy.
Flock cameras assist law enforcement by reading license plates to help investigate stolen or carjacked vehicles and locate missing people. The debate reflects broader concerns about the balance between public safety tools and civil liberties. Community member Phil Frederick, who attended Dayton's meeting, expressed support for the cameras' investigative value while questioning their impact on privacy rights. He characterized the proposed pause as a reasonable step while the city determines appropriate guardrails for the program.
The actions in these Minnesota cities reflect a growing pattern of municipalities re-examining their Flock contracts and usage policies. The scope of access to Flock data varies significantly across Minnesota agencies, ranging from zero to hundreds of users per jurisdiction. The Dayton pause and St. Paul hearing represent critical moments when residents can review council records, surveillance data policies, and contractual terms. Readers interested in monitoring their own city's camera programs should check municipal council agendas, request copies of surveillance contracts and data-sharing agreements, and note renewal dates for existing programs.
Read the original reporting: KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News.
Related record: Dayton, Ohio in the jurisdictions directory.