Several Flagstaff residents have demanded the city end a program that uses automated cameras to collect vehicle data from cars.
The group delivered a petition to the city council this week urging officials to cancel the contract with Flock Safety.
They say the cameras represent an invasion of privacy and could be used to assist federal immigration crackdowns.
Brendan Trachsel helped organize the petition and says the systems have been abused in other cities that use them.
“Quite frankly, they're ripe for abuse. We've seen plenty of stories of police officers using it to stalk their ex-girlfriends," Trachsel says. "Texas is looking at cameras in Illinois and other states to prosecute suspected abortions, which in many of these states are protected under state law, but not in Texas.”
Flagstaff’s council approved the use of the cameras in June of last year without discussion, alongside other routine budgetary items.
The technology collects license plate numbers and vehicle information, like the models, color, potential damage and even bumper stickers.
Artificial intelligence tracks the data and can add it to a national database.
Police say the cameras are an important tool when facing challenging crimes like hit-and-runs, and human and drug trafficking.
But they’ve drawn controversy in other northern Arizona cities. The Sedona city council put its Flock camera program on hold last week amid a public backlash.
