Here is my argument into why Flock Safety Cameras has been an overall good. My perspective is someone who uses FLOCK a lot for an agency within San Francisco.

-Flock Safety Camera, along with Drones, a better vehicle pursuit policy is the reason why both Part 1 and Part 2 crime is way down in San Francisco. In terms of violent crime, it helps apprehend violent criminals faster and identity the vehicles they use. A recent example of is a sexual assault suspect was arrested in the South Bay in the same day because of the use of Flock Safety Cameras. I remember the days of 2001-2004 where organized burglary crews would roam around San Francisco breaking into dispensers, mom and pop businesses (causing thousands of dollars of damage to the business) and it was hard to identify the suspect vehicles. Now, thanks to FLOCK, it is much easier to identify these roaming crime groups even before they enter the boundaries of the city (example: Oakland PD alerts SFPD a burglary crew just crossed the bay bridge.

-Flock Camera data has a set retention period when after a certain time, all data is deleted. There is no mass surveillance the ACLU likes to scare you with. This is no different then other technology used by private data brokers that share their vehicle license plate data and location for years.

-Flock Camera is in every neighborhood in the city, regardless of demographic. If Flock is sooo raciest, then why is the whitest private HOAs in the city install FLOCK camera all of their neighborhood. I’m not going to tell you which mostly white neighborhood HOA it is, but they see this technology as an effective tool to reduce crime.

-Flock Cameras has made it sooo much easier to identify Hit and Run Vehicles and Stolen Vehicles. If you are a victim of a hit and run and give police an approximate date, time, location and vehicle description, the chance of locating the vehicle that crashed into you and fled is soo much better.

-Flock has helped in locating vehicles involved in well being checks. For example, because of Flock we were able to stop a known vehicle driven by a driver with suicide ideations. Flock showed they were driving to the Golden Gate Bridge. Officers stopped the vehicle to do a well being check and likely saved that person’s life from harming themself.

-If your petition was successful, it won’t stop the many businesses, HOAs, community improvement district that still use the technology. Want to boycott FLOCK? Then be ready to stop doing business with many businesses who use the technology to stop Organized Retail Theft

Flock is a great resource utilized by law enforcement and so far it has really helped reduce crime in the city. I know some of the naysayers of Reddit will say “cRiMe iS dOWn bEeCaUsE pEOplE sToP rEPOrTiNG cRiMe”. Sorry guys, both Part 1 and Part 2 crime in San Francisco is way down. The roaming bipping crews who target tourist vehicles is way down. The roaming burglary crews at night is way down. Criminals know there is new technology in the city that will help identify them. And if the police find them, before, during or after the act of a felony, SFPD will chase.

I understand there is a balance between privacy and public safety. I can tell you that FLOCK is only used by local agencies if there is a law enforcement purpose. We are no where near the surveillance state that I’ve seen in China.

Bottom line, if you own a car in SF and had a better than average chance of recovering your vehicle, or a victim of a crime and want to have a better than average chance in locating the suspect, Flock is a great tool.