SUGAR HILL, GA — A Sugar Hill city councilman is proposing an ordinance that would remove the city’s two Flock cameras and require council approval before any new cameras are installed in the future.
Councilman Gary Pirkle says the two cameras installed by the city were put up without the City Council being notified.
“There’re over a dozen that were put in the city limits by Gwinnett County, but the city put in two, but it was not announced in city council that they went in. The city manager or the chief marshal put them up on their own,” Pirkle said.
Pirkle says his proposal would only affect the two cameras installed by Sugar Hill and would not remove the cameras installed within the city limits by Gwinnett County.
“I am trying to remove them but also reserve the right if there were ever any there or if any ever come back, then it must be the city council that makes that decision,” Pirkle said.
Pirkle also raised concerns about the use of the cameras for surveillance.
“I don’t like the idea in general of collecting surveillance and tracking citizens,” Pirkle said.
He says elected officials should make the decision on whether the city uses the cameras.
“Because we’re representatives of the people, and if the people don’t like our decisions, they can vote us out,” Pirkle said.
The Sugar Hill City Council is expected to take up the proposed ordinance again next week for a final vote.
WSB Radio’s Ashley Simmons & Keith Cromwell contributed to this story.
