Columbia Heights cancels Flock camera contract, shuts off license-plate readers after privacy backlash
Columbia Heights' city council voted to end its contract with Flock and city workers covered the license-plate reader cameras on Monday morning, June 8, 2026, taking the system offline.[1]
Mayor Amada Marquez Simula said residents are worried about data security "after everything that's happened in Columbia Heights for the last six months." FOX 9 Resident Marianne Schumacher criticized Flock's crime-solving claims as unsupported and warned of growing, invasive surveillance that puts local control at risk.[1] City officials and reports say Flock has no formal contracts with ICE but participating agencies control how collected data is shared, so ICE access can occur indirectly through data networks.[1]
Brooklyn Park previously tried Flock cameras for a high-profile case but canceled its contract after six months, a local precedent cited by critics.[1] The Columbia Heights vote follows weeks of public meetings and protests in which residents raised privacy concerns and fears tied to recent immigration enforcement actions.[1]
An earlier FOX 9 report said the city was poised to remove its Flock cameras before the council finalized the decision.[2] The updated coverage confirms the council's vote and notes crews physically covered the cameras Monday morning as the system was taken offline.[1]
Show source details & analysis (2 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- The city council has decided to end the Flock contract and the license-plate cameras were physically covered Monday morning, June 8, 2026, indicating they are being taken offline now rather than merely under consideration; see the Flock contract Flock contract.
- Mayor Amada Marquez Simula said the community is concerned about data security “after everything that’s happened in Columbia Heights for the last six months,” explicitly tying the move to recent immigration operations and related fears; comment by Mayor Amada Marquez Simula Mayor Amada Marquez Simula.
- Resident Marianne Schumacher gave on-the-record criticism that Flock’s crime-solving claims lack evidence, warned of growing “invasive” surveillance layers and expressed concern about loss of local control once data enters Flock’s system; remarks from Marianne Schumacher Marianne Schumacher.
- The report clarifies that Flock has no formal contracts with ICE but that participating law‑enforcement agencies control how and where collected data is shared, meaning ICE access can still occur indirectly via data‑sharing networks; company details on Flock Flock.
- Brooklyn Park previously tried Flock cameras for a high‑profile case but canceled its contract after six months, offering another local example of skepticism about the technology; local precedent in Brooklyn Park Brooklyn Park.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms the city council has already decided to end the Flock contract and that cameras were physically covered Monday morning, indicating they are being taken offline now, not just considered.
- Adds direct quote from Mayor Amada Marquez Simula saying the community is concerned about data security "after everything that's happened in Columbia Heights for the last six months," explicitly tying the move to recent immigration operations and related fears.
- Includes resident Marianne Schumacher's on-the-record criticism that Flock's crime-solving claims lack evidence and expresses concern over growing, "invasive" surveillance layers and loss of local control once data enters Flock's system.
- Notes Brooklyn Park tried Flock cameras for a high-profile case but cancelled its contract after six months, giving another concrete local example of skepticism about Flock.
- Clarifies that Flock has no formal contracts with ICE but allows participating law-enforcement agencies to control how and where the collected data is shared, underscoring that ICE access can still be indirect via data-sharing networks.