Dozens of towns have found ways to install Flock cameras before residents even know.
A massive review of local contracts by NBC News found 55 places where Flock entered no-bid contracts that escaped public scrutiny by claiming its products couldn’t be compared to others on the market. Another 11 were priced just below thresholds that would have required local council votes. Navigating local procurement laws is up to each public agency, Flock spokesperson Paris Lewbel said in statement, and the company provides “sole-source letters” when requested that help agencies determine if they meet the criteria. Update: Added statement from Flock. [Link: How Flock’s cameras spread through government deals that bypassed public scrutiny | https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/flock-cameras-safety-surveil-spread-location-where-contract-town-city-rcna595745 | NBC News]
A massive review of local contracts by NBC News found 55 places where Flock entered no-bid contracts that escaped public scrutiny by claiming its products couldn’t be compared to others on the market. Another 11 were priced just below thresholds that would have required local council votes. Navigating local procurement laws is up to each public agency, Flock spokesperson Paris Lewbel said in statement, and the company provides “sole-source letters” when requested that help agencies determine if they meet the criteria. Update: Added statement from Flock. [Link: How Flock’s cameras spread through government deals that bypassed public scrutiny | | NBC News]
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