POUGHKEEPSIE – Mayor Yvonne Flowers Thursday made good on her promise to veto the Poughkeepsie Common Council’s decision to end all contracts with Flock Safety, the city’s provider of license plate readers and gunshot detection devices.
Without discussing the matter with the mayor or her administration, a majority of the council earlier this month voted to end all contracts despite no evidence of local misuse, but council members cited misuse of the Flock system in other parts of the country.
The council also failed to consider the planned expansion of the Flock system in the city, which includes installing speed cameras and red-light cameras in 2027, linked to the existing LPRs and gunshot detection devices. Only Councilman Nathan Shook opposed the resolution.
Flowers’ veto message included a list of reasons, including a lack of communication between the mayor and the council.
“Vetoing this resolution does not mean I am in favor of Flock or that City Administration and I do not want to end our relationship with Flock. I am making this decision because legislation with significant implications for public safety, municipal operations, existing contractual obligations, and the City’s financial position deserves a more thorough and collaborative review before it is enacted,” the mayor said in the veto message.
The mayor was blindsided by the plan to terminate the Flock contract when Councilmembers Daniel Atonna and Evan Menist announced the plan at a meeting of the Dutchess County Legislature, rather than bringing it up at a city council meeting.
Flowers pointed out that the council wrote the resolution without any discussion among the council, the administration, and the police department. “We have serious concerns about the potential consequences of this resolution. I believe we need additional discussions, a comprehensive assessment of the resolution’s implications, and a clear understanding of the alternatives available before making a decision that could significantly affect public safety and City operations.
Mayor Flowers, a resident of the high-crime north side of the city, reminded the council of the benefits of Flock, saying, “My concerns about removing Flock technology by next week are not simply administrative or contractual. They are personal, rooted in my experience living through a period when gun violence deeply affected our neighborhoods and when crime was on the rise in our city.” The mayor further stated, “These tools (Flock) have become part of the department’s broader public safety efforts. We have seen a decrease in crime and an increase in convictions due to the evidence collected through this technology and the outstanding work of law enforcement.”
Flowers implored the council to discuss the matter with the administration before removing the assets. “Removing our current LPR technology and restricting future use of the technology without first completing an assessment and establishing an effective alternative plan raises serious concerns. We cannot responsibly make a decision of this magnitude without fully understanding its potential consequences for our residents, our police officers, and our neighborhoods,” adding, “I am asking the Common Council to reconsider the timing of this action and work with my Administration to complete a thorough review before moving forward with restrictions that could significantly affect our public safety capabilities. ”
Second Ward Councilman Evan Menist, who first announced the plan to cut ties with Flock, did not respond to a request from Mid-Hudson News before publication.
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