Pete Regan backs Tulsa police use of Flock cameras with safeguards
Pete ReganCandidate for Tulsa City Council, District 9
Pete Regan said he supports Flock cameras because they help police catch suspects quickly, while calling for privacy protections, weekly audits and severe punishment for misuse.
“As much as I hate to say it because it drives me nuts, I’m for it, and let me tell you why: I’m for it because neighborhoods have it as well. We caught two murders, that’s a double homicide. It took three hours to catch them There need to be privacy protections, guardrails, weekly audits, and severe punitive punishment if somebody has misused it. It has happened around the the country and maybe even the state. But right now, I think the police are handling it very well. And with precautions, I feel like it’s another tool to keep us all safe. Our police officers are also our neighbors (…) and I don’t love it, but I’m for it, and that’s why.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
Networked automated license-plate readers record passing vehicles and let agencies search or share travel records across locations. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to prohibit these networks, keep them with legal limits, or defend their use for investigations. This tracker records attributable positions on that choice, including proposals that would affect only public funding or data access.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
NonDoc report on the Aug. 10 Tulsa Press Club forum for the Tulsa City Council District 9 race, with a profile of each candidate.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
At an Aug. 10 Tulsa Press Club forum for the open District 9 seat, candidates were asked about the Tulsa Police Department's use of Flock cameras. NonDoc reported that Regan was the only candidate to argue in favor of expanding them.
After the quotation
Candidate Ben Johnson opposed the cameras as a violation of the Bill of Rights, and candidate Shawn Tiemann called for more regulation.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether networked license-plate readers such as Flock should exist and be used. Regan said he is for the cameras, credited them with a fast arrest in a double homicide and said police are handling them well. He also asked for guardrails and audits, but his conclusion is support for continued and expanded use, so we used Defended or excused rather than Mixed or conditional.
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- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Flock Safety
More from this case
Read the full caseJacob Burnett says Flock-style cameras should be done away with, with warrants required if they stay
“The systems themselves can be modified to prevent nearly all abuse and be made more secure by requiring warrants for access or follow through on any data the systems collect and have all data stored on the hardware itself preventing viewing from remote locations, requiring strict login credentials and a connecting warrant number to access. These are common sense changes that if the systems are to be used I feel could correct a lot of abuse or privacy concerns but I also feel the systems should be done away with overall, especially in the realm of predictive crime analytics.”Read statement
Dean Brewer, an independent candidate for Tennessee governor, says Flock cameras should be banned
“I believe flock cameras should be banned.”Read statement
Buddy Carter says license plate cameras help investigators but need privacy safeguards
“Technologies like license plate recognition cameras can provide valuable investigative tools, but they have also raised important questions about privacy and government oversight. As these systems become more common, it is important to balance public safety with appropriate safeguards that protect individual privacy.”Read statement
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- Pete Regan backs Tulsa police use of Flock cameras with safeguards
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The Dispute Index. "Pete Regan backs Tulsa police use of Flock cameras with safeguards". First published: 2026-09-29. Last updated: 2026-09-29. https://disputeindex.com/events/3115-pete-regan-said-he-supports-flock-cameras-because