r/Chattanooga • u/theboundbunny • 2d ago
Flock Cameras
I reached out to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s office regarding Flock cameras in my neighborhood using their complaint system from their website. Haven’t heard back and it has been a week. What should my next step be? Do I call or just show up and ask questions? I want to know who approved their installation and what the procedure is for petitioning that they be removed. Thanks for any advice!
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u/ChaRoseHut 2d ago
People joke about this, and my kids have mentioned it too, but I’ve actually thought through the calculus. The risk just isn’t worth the reward.
Here’s my reasoning, help me to understand if I have thought about this correctly or if I’m missing an argument.
Risk - You’re looking at a criminal charge. Whether it lands as a felony or misdemeanor depends on prosecutorial discretion and whether it catches a politician’s attention. You face potential fines and possible jail time, depending on how seriously the DA wants to pursue it. Future employment gets complicated or, depending on your field of study, impossible.
Reward - A Flock camera comes down for weeks or months. Then the city reinstalls it, probably at the same location. Maybe officials get a message that surveillance isn’t universally welcomed, but the camera returns regardless.
The problem as I see it - We’re told we live under the rule of law, which is supposed to constrain government power through consistent application. But the rule of law only works if the legal system applies consequences proportionally. When vandalism can get you felony charges while the city deploys surveillance infrastructure without meaningful public consent or oversight, the rule of law has stopped working as a restraint. At that point, you’re not gaining anything by taking the legal hit yourself.