Suffolk County has finalized a five-year contract valued at nearly $4 million with Flock Safety for a new gunshot detection system. The agreement, approved in April, will replace the county's ShotSpotter system, which has been in use for over a decade. The new Flock Safety devices are scheduled for full installation across 23.5 square miles by September 6.
According to Jed Painter, general counsel for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, the switch to Flock Safety is projected to save the county approximately $800,000 annually. Painter described the deal as "very good."
The current contract does not include Flock Safety's artificial intelligence-powered cameras or automated license plate readers, which have faced criticism and Fourth Amendment concerns nationwide. However, Painter indicated that the county has not ruled out future acquisitions of these technologies. He expressed interest in Flock's "Raven" system, which can detect not only gunshots but also car crashes and loud community disturbances.
While Suffolk County does not currently operate Flock cameras, numerous towns, villages, and private communities on Long Island have independently contracted with the company. The new gunshot detection system will enable law enforcement to cross-reference detected gunfire with Flock cameras in neighboring municipalities or private communities to track vehicles present in the area at the time of an incident.
The deal comes as Flock Safety faces increasing scrutiny and backlash across the country. In Suffolk County, instances of vandalism against Flock cameras have occurred, including one camera being run over by a car and another covered in paint, leading to an arrest. Federal legislation has also been proposed to strip funding from local governments that contract with Flock for surveillance cameras. Flock Safety did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the Suffolk County deal.