r/RPI

The city council has introduced Local Law #3, which seeks to restrict the collection and use of ALPR data in Troy. The mayor’s office and the Troy Police Department will be making statements that are strongly against any restrictions. Let’s make sure they know that the public supports regulating ALPR technologies in Troy, and that we want Flock systems to be removed.

Note: This is a public safety committee, which means the city council is meeting to discuss the law with the administration, TPD, and to hear from the public. They will not be voting on the law during this meeting. Public comment will be allowed before the meeting begins, at 5:30. 

ICYMI: A guide to speaking at city council meetings.

Here are the key messages to reinforce and put in your own words:

1. We support meaningful legislation restricting ALPRs to specific use.

Local Law #3 isn’t perfect, but it’s a good start. It restricts the storage of Troy’s ALPR data to 48 hours, and requires a warrant before access in most cases.

• The capabilities of AI enabled policing / surveillance technology can change in a moment with software updates. We’d like to see tighter restrictions to prevent blind adoption of complex technologies owned by private companies that turn our daily movements into data. 
• Mass surveillance marketed as safety doesn’t bother just us; it’s a bipartisan issue. Lawmakers on the federal and state level are taking action.
• Surveillance Accountability Act - Thomas Massie (R-KY), Lauren Boebert (R-CO) 
  • Massie put it bluntly: "The Bill of Rights is not a suggestion, and Fourth Amendment protections against warrantless searches conducted by the government are not optional."

    

• In New York State, multiple legislative proposals have been introduced to restrict use of biometric surveillance (including facial recognition technology) and ALPR technologies. 
• This is the first municipal ALPR legislation proposed in our region. It’s important to get it right.

1. We support the Article 78 filing to sue  the mayor.

• The mayor’s executive declaration of emergency to override the city council is a dangerous abuse of power, and we have to stop it now. 
• The Article 78 filings seek to remove the mayor’s declaration of emergency and refund emergency funds that were paid to flock.
• This is the first step in delegitimizing Flock’s contract renewal. Without the automatic renewal, the contract can be terminated.
• Learn more about the emergency declaration and how it was implemented here.

1. We want to see an audit of TPD’s Flock system that shows who has had access to our data .

 

• TPD says they haven’t shared our data with federal agencies or ICE, but there are many examples nationwide of access from other departments without local knowledge. Residents  and the Troy city council have been asking to see an audit that supports this claim, but TPD has not released any information.
  • Note: Flock’s own policies suggest that its customers should request regular audits which would reveal who, why and when outside individuals/entities have accessed the data generated locally by Flock cameras.
  • Saratoga Police Department has shared their flock transparency portal which shows who has had access to their data. It revealed that over 1000 agencies nationwide have access to their data including Florida Fish and Wildlife and Texas Department of Criminal Justice, both of whom share information with ICE and to prosecute women for abortions.
  • On May 2, 2026, Dayton, OH suspended its use of Flock cameras after the police department discovered that their data was being used for immigration enforcement, despite Flock's explicit assurances that it would not be.

1. We want community involvement before AI-enabled policing technology is implemented.

 

• When the city plans to implement policing tools that require mass public surveillance and data collection, the public should be informed and allowed to give input. 
• This technology’s capabilities change instantly with a software update. The public has a right to be informed every time the technology’s capabilities are updated.

1. We want  Flock cameras OUT.

 

• Flock’s technology is deeply concerning, and is more than “just a license plate reader”. It’s a privately owned system that logs our daily patterns of life, aggregating our data into a database accessible to law enforcement nationwide without a warrant. 
• Flock puts our neighbors at risk. It can be used by stalkers or officers with poor judgement, for state-to-state surveillance, or to prosecute women seeking abortions across state lines. 
  • Increased anti-trans legislation puts our queer friends and neighbors at risk on a national level.
  • It’s been well documented that Flock has been used in collaboration with ICE without judicial warrants or court orders. In Minneapolis, concerns that Flock was being used to seek and detain their immigrant friends and neighbors led most municipalities in that area to shut off their ALPR cameras.
  • ALPRs and police surveillance target black and brown communities. Research analyzing traffic stops has found that Black drivers are subjected to significantly higher rates of traffic stops and subsequent searches than their white counterparts—demonstrating systemic racial bias that ALPRs would amplify.
• There is no transparency with Flock.
  • There is an obvious lack of transparency around how our data is used, who has access, and how these cameras showed up in our community in the first place. We are not okay with this. Flock is enabling TPD and the Mayor to implement mass surveillance technologies without public input.
• A refresher on the problem with Flock can be seen here.

Remember:

• The best way to get your point across is to speak to what you feel strongest about. You don’t need to be an expert on surveillance technologies or legislation to understand that it’s wrong for the City to be contracting with a corporation that does not have the public interest at heart. 
• The City Council and Mayor work for the people of Troy. It is completely reasonable to demand public transparency and accountability.

 

"Auburn Mayor Jeffrey Harmon says the city’s seven Flock cameras cost about $24,000 to install and operate. That funding came from a federal grant.

But after the grant money runs out, Harmon says there’s not enough room for it in the upcoming budget."

National Week of Action Against ALPRs - https://noalprs.com/

Stay Tuned for Details!

About the place:
- 4 bedroom (3 taken) and 1.5 bath
- House is literally right across from heffner house/north lot on 13th street, so very close to campus.
- there’s a balcony
- pretty spacious
- all furniture provided
- 2 free parking spaces in the lot
-$625/month

Lease is for one year starting June 1st.

Video is before we moved in, so there’s more stuff now. Reach out if you’re interested!! Or if you want more pics or a tour!

Our 1 year anniversary sale starts now! From May 15th - May 23rd enjoy a selection of discounts on our back issues! We are also doing sales on VHS, statues and more! Thank you for supporting us for one whole year!

There's been a suspected mercury contamination incident involving our campus buildings and steam tunnels, but many of us still don't have straight answers about what's actually happening or whether we've been exposed.

Students and staff should have the right to know what's being tested, where it's positive, and what it means for our health and safety. Mercury exposure can cause real neurological and respiratory problems, and we can't make informed decisions about our daily lives without transparent information from leadership.

We're asking the university to share verified information as it becomes available: which buildings have tested positive, what safety measures are being used, whether external agencies are involved, and a timeline for regular updates. That's not unreasonable.

If you value the health and safety of our student body, I ask that you take a moment to sign the attached petition. Thank you.

https://c.org/xnQkvVcJ7L