Welch defends keeping Flock cameras
St. Petersburg mayor and 2026 candidate for reelection
“Let's talk about it without throwing out a tool that is helping us track down people that make us less safe as a community”
Source and context
Interview
About this source
Spectrum News original interviews with both St. Petersburg mayoral runoff candidates.
Before the quotation
Spectrum News interviewed Welch as his opponent called for a moratorium.
After the quotation
Welch said he had not seen a strong enough case to take the cameras down, though he left open reconsideration.
How this statement is classified
Case context: Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
The label describes this statement’s response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether networked license-plate reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Welch said the city should talk about the cameras without throwing out a tool that helps police track down people who make the community less safe. Keeping the cameras fits Defended.
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- Published here

Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
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