Steele says Troy's Flock policy is a first step and the Council will keep working on legislation
Sue SteelePresident of Troy City Council, New York
Council President Sue Steele said the City Council will keep working on legislation that lets police use the plate-reader tool to solve crimes while protecting Fourth Amendment rights, and called the new Flock policy a first step.
“The City Council will continue to work on legislation to provide the police with this ALPR tool to solve crimes while also protecting the Fourth Amendment rights of all citizens. ... The policy is a first step, and we will continue discussions to craft a local law.”
Official statement
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
Official statement
About this source
City of Troy press release dated May 19, 2026. It announces updated Flock Safety license plate reader policy rules and quotes Mayor Carmella Mantello, Council President Sue Steele, District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly and Police Chief Dan DeWolf.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Steele joined Mayor Carmella Mantello in announcing Troy's updated Flock policy on May 19, 2026.
After the quotation
She said the 60-day working period lets the Council capture data on how Flock cameras are used in Troy.
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. Steele backs keeping police access to the plate-reader tool while the Council writes legislation protecting Fourth Amendment rights, and calls the new policy a first step toward a local law. Continued use under legislated limits fits Mixed or conditional and Limit on the remedy ladder. The closest competing label is Defended or excused, which would fit an argument for the system without new legal limits.
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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
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“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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- Steele says Troy's Flock policy is a first step and the Council will keep working on legislation
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The Dispute Index. "Steele says Troy's Flock policy is a first step and the Council will keep working on legislation". First published: 2026-10-07. Last updated: 2026-10-07. https://disputeindex.com/events/5122-council-president-sue-steele-said-the-city-council