The Troy City Council says it will pause action for 60 days on a proposed local law regulating the collection and dissemination of data collected by artificial intelligence-powered surveillance cameras.
The move comes as lawmakers have asked the police department to provide data indicating how often crimes are reported more than 48 hours after they occur. The proposal includes a provision to delete data collected by the cameras after 48 hours.
This is the latest update in a saga that has included debate over renewal of the city's contract with Flock, resident concerns over how data is collected and used, and the city's public safety needs.
The all-Democrat council announced Thursday it still intends to pass a law “that will restrict data sharing while maintaining access to crime-solving tools.”
Republican Mayor Carmella Mantello announced plans last week to implement safety measures regarding how Flock Safety will collect and share data gathered by the roughly two dozen license-plate-reader cameras stationed throughout the city. She said at the time that she believed the audit proposed in the measures announced might change some minds about the need to move forward with the local law.
Council member Noreen McKee, who introduced the local law and chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee, welcomed the policy in a press release Thursday but says “because it is non-binding, it’s no substitute for legislation and the Council will continue to move forward with the law.
