Baca says Flagstaff must balance new technology for first responders with privacy and data limits
Nancy BacaCandidate for Flagstaff City Council
Nancy Baca said the debate over Flock did not end with the council's decision not to renew the contract, and that the city must evaluate emerging technologies for first responders while considering how long data is kept and who can access it.
“While the sitting council already made its decision regarding the nonrenewal of the Flock contract, the conversation is far from over. This is not the last time our community will be faced with balancing technology and privacy while also providing support to our first responders. Departments remain understaffed and we must evaluate emerging technologies that can help increase the safety of responders and citizens alike. As we move forward, we must also be thoughtful about privacy, how long data is retained and who has access to it.”
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
Arizona Daily Sun feature in its 2026 candidate question series, printing the written answers of Flagstaff City Council and mayoral candidates to a question about Flock cameras. The paper says the answers were limited to 150 words and printed unedited unless a candidate went over that limit.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The Arizona Daily Sun asked the Flagstaff City Council and mayoral candidates on the November ballot where they stood on Flock cameras and their potential use in Flagstaff. The paper printed their written answers, limited to 150 words and unedited unless a candidate exceeded that limit.
After the quotation
Baca's written answer consisted of this single paragraph. Other candidates' answers in the same article describe the council's December 2025 decision to cancel the Flock contract.
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 reader systems such as Flock should exist and be used. Baca did not call for a ban or for bringing Flock back; she said the city must evaluate emerging technologies that can help first responders while being careful about how long data is kept and who can see it. That is openness to the technology subject to data limits, so Mixed or conditional fits.
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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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The Dispute Index. "Baca says Flagstaff must balance new technology for first responders with privacy and data limits". First published: 2026-09-29. Last updated: 2026-09-29. https://disputeindex.com/events/3141-nancy-baca-said-the-debate-over-flock-did