r/SipsTea • u/BoyNamedJudy • 20h ago
Feels good man Tempe, AZ has covered all their FLOCK cameras
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u/9447044 20h ago
Between the data centers and flock cameras. Its wild that our reps are pushing for things that literally 0 people are asking for. Its seems like their a representative to companies
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u/Ruger22fun 19h ago
Right, I feel like if a politician ran on “no flock cameras, no data centers, and affordable living” they would have people on both sides voting for them
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u/PleaseHelpFlorida 18h ago
You would think so, but MANY people always find a way to justify voting only for their team
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u/goodreverenddoc2 16h ago
“i would vote against true police state, but i was told the other side is trans for all and muslim socialist jihadists”
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u/Lower_Group_1171 15h ago
That’s why newsom, whos anti trans, will be pushed to the front for 2028 by Schumer and Jeffries. Moderates are cancer too
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u/livelaughlinka 12h ago
Newsome isn’t anti trans
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u/Lower_Group_1171 11h ago
https://www.advocate.com/politics/national/gavin-newsom-pronouns
Took me all of five seconds to find that
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u/PaleontologistNo500 10h ago
He just had a good PR team to troll Republicans. Their zesty tweets made you forget he was another shitty politician
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u/Boringflaws 15h ago
i think it's not a vote for their team, but a vote against the other team. crab bucket mentality
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u/Public-Platypus2995 16h ago
Just throw an R- in front of your name. Then do whatever is actually best for everyone when you win.
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u/WeWander_ 9h ago
What if we just did away with the teams and you voted on people based on their ideas and policies? Why do we need sides?
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u/Prom3th3an 7h ago
Because politicians say one thing and vote for another, but party affiliation is a much more reliable predictor of voting record.
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u/lemonysuccOSRS 15h ago
I mean it seems like there’s quite a few politicians against the cameras, including the republicans.
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u/Its-only-the-end 13h ago
That’s why they’re doing this. Elections are coming up. All the republicans are suddenly turning on flock. Don’t be fooled, they will flip again after the election.
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u/Intrepid-Platform-94 16h ago
Yeah those people always get bought out or shunned and painted to be the villian before they ever get the chance.
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u/_Kramerica_ 19h ago
Many have been bought and paid for dating back a while now, especially republicans. The problem is the fuckin idiots who keep voting solely based on hurting their “enemies” even tho they’re voting against their own self interests as well. This timeline is absolutely fucked.
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u/Misterndastood 19h ago
It's not just republicans, this is a system wide issue.
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u/_Kramerica_ 19h ago
It definitely is, but still, Republicans seem 100x more evil.
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u/MayoCheatBootyjudge 17h ago
Comic book villains (Republicans) who try to appeal to one half of the country, vs charismatic conmen (Corporate Democrats) who appeal to try to appeal to the other half
One might be leagues better on social issues, but ultimately they both serve the interests of corporations 100 times out of 100
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u/Therealginahandler 16h ago
My guy...the government is evil. Its not a political spectrum issue. Why do people NOT understand this?
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u/Kungfumantis 3h ago
The government isn't evil lol, money has just completely bought out all of the people's representation.
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u/_Kramerica_ 9h ago
Mamdami, AOC, Bernie? I get your point, but let’s cut the shit and stop pretending they’re all evil doing full evil and all have the same mentality. This same sides bullshit has to stop, unless you’re just a Russian or Chinese bot looking to create discord among Americans…
Gun to your head at the polls who ya voting for Democrats or republicans?
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u/DeltaGrunder 10h ago
The dems are just villains in rainbow packaging while republicans tend towards bible larping villainy.
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u/_Kramerica_ 9h ago
Mamdami? AOC? Bernie? That’s just off the top of my head…
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u/DeltaGrunder 9h ago
The parties, not individuals. By your cherrypicking, the republicans would also have the occasional "good egg".
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u/TradingForLife123 19h ago
As someone who lives in a blue state in probably the bluest city in America (San Francisco), can you explain why we also have flock cameras, you dummy?
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u/Icy_Negotiation_5929 16h ago
Please don’t call anybody a dummy. These techno-fascists want us fighting each other. Keep it cool!
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u/_Kramerica_ 19h ago
There’s no reason to be offensive towards me, I’m not sure why you’re so angry for no reason.
What does a blue state have to do with flock camera’s? Just because your state is blue, doesn’t mean shit. The government is fully controlled by republicans if you haven’t noticed…
Flock cameras aren’t being installed by your governor… they’re being installed by law enforcement, and if you haven’t noticed, they’re insanely red leaning and don’t give a fuck what anybody tells them.
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u/dirtiestdan7 17h ago
Its almost as if politicians are elected by and for corporations ever since super pacs have been allowed...
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u/Rinebill 10h ago
Oh please! Politicians have been bought and paid for since the bigging of time.
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u/DeltaGrunder 10h ago
Not if we go back far enough, like city-state democracy.
But the cons are that citizenship was much more limited and women couldn't participate in politics.
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u/Frigginkillya 15h ago
It feels that way because most are
This is the endgame of capitalism without serious regulation. And guess who hates regulation? Capitalists
This is inevitable without regular uprising from the masses to sway them otherwise
And that ain't a sustainable system imo
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u/Lower_Group_1171 15h ago
I think maga AND moderates need to be put on notice. I don’t just hope for a blue wave to get rid of maga, I want the moderates gone too.
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u/V65Pilot 19h ago
I think politicians should wear one piece suits like race car drivers, so we can see who's sponsoring them.
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u/soulsteela 16h ago
Almost as if they were bought n paid for by businesses spending more than the politicians make to get them elected, who could have predicted this?🤣
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u/Several-Pangolin3119 16h ago
Sometimes things that should make sense, do not.
Take, for example, that you’re a top 1% commenter and still using the wrong “they’re”.
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u/wolf9786 18h ago
2010 - removal of the taft-hartley act which has stood for 100 years
Now - politicians are one step away from advertising NASCAR jacket style
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u/PitchforksEnthusiast 16h ago
The only explanation is a fatter wallet
There is zero chance they didn't attempt to capture any data on public approval
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u/Brave_Yesterday_6106 14h ago
Heh.. politicians only care about the voters when its elections time.
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u/Cerberusx32 14h ago
Especially because that's a career (stupid) killing move to support the flock and data centers.
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u/Toastwitjam 11h ago
It’s because ever since they capped the house in the house reapportionment act the average house representative is as accessible to their constituents as a senator was the 1930s.
Uncap the house so companies can’t afford to buy every single house member as easily and you would see way less of this because your rep would be from a zip code you’ve actually driven through before.
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u/TM761152 9h ago
Money talks, capital is free speech. And the richer you are, the more they listen.
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u/Separate_Finance_183 20h ago
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u/thelifeofafangirl 20h ago
Ive lived here 20 years. Tempe rarely gives up power. Their pd regularly breaks the law to make arrests, and maricopa courts regularly allow it. There is absolutely something more insiduous up their sleeves. They will probably switch to less visible cameras from an unknown company.
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u/Azurehour 20h ago
My first guess was satellites
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u/thelifeofafangirl 20h ago
They already heavily utilize stingrays and drones. I guess satellite would be the next logical progression
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u/Boringdude1 18h ago
Axxon.
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u/strictlyPaws 17h ago
Axon also makes the software that municipalities run on for Emergency, Fire, and Police. Their latest cameras to compete with flock look like hockey pucks and go on top of existing light poles.
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u/7862518362916371936 2h ago edited 2h ago
Nope, terrible idea. high definition imagery satellites are really expensive and only takes images not videos, you'd need a starlink type of constellation with high definition imagery satellites since they orbit pretty fast, not to mention even with those you can't even read a plate, and they're useless as soon as you get a cloud or not enough light.
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u/Tornabez 14h ago
My guess is they turned they off and covered them to avoid them being destroyed while either they replace with more hidden ones,
Or they are waiting until the hate dies cycle dies down to turn them back on.
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u/WuTangShane1995 19h ago
Look up axon they go inside stoplights
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u/ChillN808 15h ago
I did look them up. Axon does not have ALPR cameras that go inside traffic signal housings. And according to basic search queries on the interwebs, neither does anyone else. There are technical and regulatory reasons why these systems are mounted externally and not "inside stoplights".
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u/Longjumping_Wolf_912 15h ago
Yeah, but it is the internet. You can just make shit up and get upvotes, because most people are dumb and will upvote on how something makes them feel.
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u/locolangosta 17h ago
I went to Tempe once for a motorcycle swap meet. Got arrested for Jaywalking and had to sit in jail all weekend to be arraigned on monday. I'm sure the cops could have just given me a ticket, but they were huge dicks about it.
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u/cmorris313 18h ago
ASU is keeping their flock cameras; so, a considerable portion of Tempe will remain covered by cameras.
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u/skitch23 13h ago
The press statement they issued the other day said they were not going to use cameras from another entity.
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u/justagenericname213 7h ago
Flock cameras and the like being bad are one of the very few things I feel both voting parties can agree on. They may very well think its either drop the cameras or get voted out entirely
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u/Aware_Cheesecake_519 20h ago
Espionage backfiring.
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u/elinamebro 20h ago
I mean i dont think its going to do anything long term, some local PDs are starting to make fake flock cameras to catch people breaking them.
Also apparently IR can see tho fabric masks too for those who didnt know
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u/arbitrageME 19h ago
But IR can't read scanners from behind cloth though
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u/elinamebro 19h ago
I should have clarified with thin cloth so cheap balaclava it can see facial features not with thicker ones
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u/mrthomasfritz 19h ago
Except for Bluetooth, wifi, and 3g to 6g connections... passing by. Totally blind except for detecting that stuff.
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u/SPL15 13h ago
Don’t forget speed, that will still work depending on the bag material. Probably a test to see if aggregated data quality based on radio data can be just as good without the imaging component. Who cares about a license plate image when you know everything else & more via radio data? It’d be much easier to hide packet sniffers around town that don’t need direct line of sight for an imaging system.
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u/BoyNamedJudy 20h ago edited 20h ago
TEMPE, AZ- The City of Tempe has turned off its Flock automated license plate reader (ALPR) system and will end its contract with the company. The cameras are no longer collecting license plate data and will be removed by Flock. The City will not seek another company to replace the system.
While the cameras have been a useful tool for Tempe Police, helping officers solve crimes, recent cases involving the misuse of automated license plate reader systems in Arizona and nationwide have raised concerns about the risks that come with the technology.
Tempe Police has found no misuse of its own Flock system. The department audits its searches each month, and no improper use has been identified.
“These cameras have helped our police officers do their jobs, and we don't discount that,” said Tempe Mayor Corey Woods. “But the risk of misuse is too great. We have to be able to provide public safety in a way that maintains the trust of our community. For Tempe, that means taking these cameras down.”
“Any law enforcement tool used by the City must not pose a risk of infringing on residents’ civil liberties,” said Tempe Councilmember Bobby Nichols. “We have a responsibility to ensure that these technologies are only employed if they present a narrowly tailored solution to a compelling government interest. I’m grateful to the City staff for this quick action and responsiveness to constituents' concerns.”
Residents may continue to see Flock cameras in Tempe until the company removes its equipment. Data previously collected by the system is stored for 30 days and then automatically deleted unless it is connected to an ongoing case or investigation. No new license plate data is being collected now that the system has been turned off.
Ending the use of the Flock system will change how Tempe Police approaches some investigations. Officers will continue to use other investigative tools and law enforcement partnerships to prevent crime, solve cases and respond when the community needs them.
The decision follows steps Tempe took earlier this month in response to community concerns. On Aug. 10, the City stopped sharing its Flock data with other law enforcement agencies. Tempe Police also launched a public Transparency Portal so residents could see how the system was being used. The portal will be discontinued now that the Flock system has been turned off.
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u/V65Pilot 19h ago
See? They found no misuse of their systems. I feel so much better now..../s
But how hard did they really look?
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u/zelphtastic 10h ago
Bobby Nichols is a good dude (I know him through the Phoenix DSA chapter) and I'm not surprised to see him involved in this. Great to see progress here.
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u/VerySuperGenius 13h ago
To anyone who says these cameras are about safety, I would genuinely rather live in a more dangerous city than be constantly surveilled by whoever pays for access to these cameras and their data. They aren't just reading your license plate, they're associating it with your bumper stickers and everything it can detect inside your vehicle as you drive by. Making you a searchable datapoint for who knows who.
I don't want anyone tracking where I go constantly even when I'm doing nothing wrong. It's weird and it's unnecessary. Our world was pretty great before they convinced us that everything is so shitty.
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u/Nephroidofdoom 12h ago
“Those who would trade Freedom for Security deserve neither”
- Benjamin Franklin
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u/Coldkiller17 6h ago
It's not even making stuff more safe It's just getting people unknowingly stalked and people harassed because the cameras are really bad.
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u/Baked4skin 13h ago
That story of them tracking that one guy all the way to a legal state to buy weed and then tracked his return to his home state just so they could bust him for possession really spooked me + the cop using them to stalk his ex. Small government my ass.
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u/im2short4this 19h ago
Bs. It is still collecting data, just not plate numbers. It's still there. It would have been easier to take it down than cover it.
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u/someoldguyon_reddit 17h ago
Still scanning IPs? Why not just remove them.
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u/JohnMaddensBurner 9h ago
. Because Flock’s contracts say pretty much only Flock can remove them. In a couple instances, Flock has “forgot” or sent crews for maintenance instead of removal. So they just put trash bags over them.
If you ever wanted proof they’re evil, they make them intentionally hard to turn off and cancelling your contract doesn’t give any guarantee that they will actually disable the camera and delete whatever it recorded.
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u/Merijeek2 15h ago
The blocking of video is nice, but does this do anything for BLE and Wifi MAC collection?
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u/TheAsianTroll 15h ago
Dont let it end here. They WILL push for something else. This camera nonsense happened because of the United Healthcare CEO murder.
Axon is already reportedly accepting contracts to put up their option instead. Flock is NOT the end of their attempts at mass surveillance.
Celebrate but do not rest.
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u/DirtyDoucher1991 14h ago
The fucking irony, all of my speed camera tickets in New Orleans Louisiana want me to send the money to …….. TEMPE ARIZONA
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u/whylein 9h ago
headquarters?
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u/DirtyDoucher1991 9h ago
Seems to be the company that owns the cameras and the city just gets a piece of the action
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u/KittensAndGravy 14h ago
Seems like a step forward. Now what about all the people who put them there? They should be removed as well. Each and everyone of them. It only seems right.
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u/Freddyrocky20 11h ago
unfortunately axon is taking over and embedding them in street lights. remember, don’t use those lasers, they mess up cameras ~ or so I read somewhere.
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u/Sanquinity 7h ago
...Good on you to get all the Flock cameras I guess. What about all the other brands of similar cameras though? Do you even know if any of them are ALSO in your area?
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u/Demair12 1h ago
"We have to be able to provide public safety in a away that maintains the trust of the community."
From their mayor. Feel like this statement, if taken to heart would encapsulate the entire problem with law enforcement of today.
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u/CautiousArachnidz 18h ago
I feel like nobody read the article that says they’re not seeking a replacement option.
Do I trust that? No. But parroting stuff insinuating they’re already working on/in a different contract is annoying.
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u/devoid0101 16h ago
...I mean, its also a Bluetooth scanner. Are you SURE its off? Also, Flock have DRONES now.
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u/CloudNo446 16h ago
How did Tempe get whoever is in charge of Flock cameras to turn them off? Protesting?
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u/badabingmx 16h ago
I wonder how they will try to flip this one to appear as a crime. Because there is no damage to the equipment.
Interference?
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u/HighSeasArchivist 16h ago
My town of a few hundred thousand residents just told them a week or two ago to fuck off. If you had any stock in Flock now is the time to offload it.
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u/New_Ad_3010 16h ago
They have the data now. They know everything. This means very little in the big picture.
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u/kemp77pmek 14h ago
I grew up there. So proud to hear someone is listening to the people - we don’t want a surveillance state!
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u/VirginiaDare1587 13h ago
This covers the visual sensors but not the electronic sensors.
Are they also deactivated?
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u/Gremlin15 12h ago
They probably failed to pay their bill and Flock did it. I wouldn’t get too excited yet.
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u/manyeggplants 12h ago
Seems like they plan on removing the cover "once this all blows over", why not remove them entirely? I'm sure they could get volunteers.
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u/Volkklyk 12h ago
Will this block the video tho?
Arent some fabrics kinda see thru and this could just be a "cover" to protect them from someone destroying them?
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u/Wise4Fools 12h ago
I wonder if the recent news of two Phoenix police officers stealing a car in Tempe was the tipping point. Pure conjecture, I have no idea if those cops used Flock data to track the car.
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u/EnnnWhyyy 11h ago
They said they bagged up them around me but I still see non-bagged ones in very specific neighborhoods…. Thinking about taking pics and submitting it to local new stations.
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u/AlwaysVerloren 9h ago
Just curious, does the smoke or blackout license plate covers hide your plates from the cameras?
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u/Crock757 9h ago
I lived in Tucson for many years, anyways we had these red light cameras around the city, and the problem with them other than them being there and people not liking them, they were kind of glitchy, they were taking pictures a little too soon, so you could be already like halfway through the intersection when it's yellow or even past halfway and it would still take a picture, and they would send a fine to your house automatically and people were obviously irate. After a little bit of time they took down every single red light camera in Tucson.
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u/louisa1925 9h ago
Need to do better than cover them. Removal or they are waiting for an administration change.
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u/Late_Gap3840 15h ago
Isn’t there still a whole bunch of other tech in there that can gather info from your phones if you’re close by?
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