Pinal County Sheriff Ross Teeple said he has directed his staff not to renew the county’s contract with Flock Safety, citing concerns about artificial intelligence features and possible Fourth Amendment issues, according to InMaricopa. The current agreement expires Sept. 28.
Teeple said the decision applies only to sheriff’s office cameras used in unincorporated parts of Pinal County and San Tan Valley. He said the company did not provide satisfactory answers when those concerns were raised.
The sheriff said he supports automatic license plate readers when they are limited to reading plates, but he drew a line at newer AI capabilities such as pattern recognition and facial recognition. He also said he believes those features may cross constitutional boundaries.
Maricopa Police Department said Teeple’s move does not directly affect the city’s agreement with Flock Safety or its more than 40 cameras. The department said it has a transparency page explaining how the system works and how data is stored, and it said the cameras have helped identify suspects, locate vehicles and solve crimes.
The issue comes as public opinion in Maricopa appears more divided, with an InMaricopa poll in July showing 41% of readers opposed to the city’s use of the cameras. Supervisor Jeff Serdy also voiced support for Teeple’s concerns and said he wants to consider next steps for possible cancellation.
