The Dutchess County Legislature’s Public Safety Committee voted unanimously Thursday, Oct. 8, to advance a resolution requiring the county to cover its deactivated Flock Safety license plate readers if they remain installed after an Oct. 25 removal deadline.
The measure, introduced by Legislator Chris Drago (D-19), follows the Sept. 25 announcement by District Attorney Anthony Parisi and Sheriff Kirk Imperati that the county would abandon its use of the surveillance technology after months of public opposition.
Although Drago has urged County Executive Sue Serino to cover the cameras immediately, the resolution would only require action if they remain installed after Oct. 25. It would direct Serino and appropriate county departments to cover any remaining county-owned or county-funded cameras with opaque, non-damaging materials within seven calendar days of that deadline or the resolution’s adoption, whichever is later.
The measure now heads to the full County Legislature, which is scheduled to meet Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6:30 p.m. in Poughkeepsie.
Flock Safety has confirmed that the county’s 65 cameras were deactivated Sept. 25, but the equipment remains physically installed pending removal which could take up to 30 days. Lawmakers said their continued presence could leave residents uncertain about whether the devices are still collecting vehicle information.
“Since Dutchess County deactivated its Flock cameras on September 25, I have called for the cameras to be covered pending their removal, giving residents visible assurance that they are no longer operating. With no action taken, I introduced a resolution requiring that any County Flock cameras still standing after the October 25 removal deadline be covered,” Drago said in a statement.
Drago first called for the cameras to be covered on Sept. 25, shortly before Parisi confirmed to the Herald that the county had ordered the network shut down.
Asked about the demand to cover the cameras that morning, Parisi questioned its effectiveness.
“I honestly don’t know the effectiveness of covering them,” Parisi said.
After speaking with Flock Safety, Parisi confirmed that the cameras would be taken offline that day.
“Obviously it will take them time to take down the equipment, but the cameras will be decommissioned today, which means they will go offline today,” he told the Herald. “They will not be taking pictures. They will not be collecting any data as of later today.”
The county’s decision to discontinue the program followed months of scrutiny, including the Herald’s reporting on an unauthorized $80,000 agreement for 11 surveillance devices in Pine Plains and two county cameras installed without state permits in Milan. Both towns subsequently adopted measures requiring greater local oversight of the technology.
The resolution, No. 2026160, would apply to Flock cameras owned, leased, operated, or funded by Dutchess County. It would not automatically apply to cameras controlled independently by municipalities or private entities.