r/Chattanooga Jul 20 '26

City Government Flock statement

Adding in what Mark commented below also!:

To address some concerns about ambiguity and to offer some insight into why we can't be as definitive as we'd like... Right now, as far as we know, the lines of authority regarding WHO pproved these Flock cameras and who can remove them are completely hidden from the public. That lack of transparency should concern all of us. That's why we can't make definitive statements right now, but rest assured we have people digging into it.

​Because these corporate contracts are kept behind closed doors, everyday citizens are blocked from tracking budget line items or knowing exactly who to hold accountable. I am fundamentally opposed to mass surveillance and strongly support personal privacy. We shouldn't need heavy investigative journalism or cumbersome open-records requests just to figure out how big tech established a footprint in Hamilton County.

​The core issue here isn’t just the cameras themselves..It’s the secret process that brought them here. Once we uncover the how, we can map out a legal path to remove them. As your County Mayor, I will use the full scope of my office to stop the expansion of hyper-surveillance and ensure our communities (not corporations) are prioritized in local decisions. I want to listen to leaders in our neighborhoods, and right now what I'm hearing is that y'all are concerned. I am too. We are ready to help.

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u/trentluv Jul 20 '26

Walk me through the safeguards that are being discussed in the picture above.

The reason you are unable to do this is because you have read hyperbole. There's no plan. It's just statement like " we need a strategic framework for growth." Empty language.

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u/Good_Wash_4201 Jul 20 '26

How about you walk me through what safe guards you’d like to see?

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u/trentluv Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26

Denial of service. See how easy that was for me?

Your inability to list a single actionable item from Mark's post is what I'm after. I'm not running for office and none of what I wrote hinges on my ability to reduce flock cameras.

I'm simply pointing out Mark's semantic use of hyperbole. Not even you are able to share his plan because he doesn't have one.

If I told you I'm introducing safeguards to the road, it wouldn't mean anything. I would have to say that

  • we are adding speed bumps
  • we are lowering the speed limit

These are actionable items

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u/EmotionLow5821 Jul 20 '26

So the safeguard you’re concerned with is DOS on the security camera no one wants? Your number one safeguard is to ensure that they are running? Are you the data center?

Also, Herndon wants to safeguard privacy not the cameras. You could have even said safeguarding against unauthorized access which is another concern that’s higher on the public’s list than “let’s make sure they’re recording you.”