Ithaca Common Council votes to end Flock Safety contract

The Ithaca Common Council voted unanimously to end the city’s contract with Flock Safety, stopping the Ithaca Police Department’s use of the company’s AI-powered license plate cameras. The $70,000 contract was funded entirely by a state grant meant to combat gun violence. Council members and activists cited distrust of Flock, the volume of data collected, and concerns that data could be used in federal immigration enforcement. The city is unlikely to recoup the grant funds. The vote came just over two years after the initial contract was approved.