WILKES-BARRE, PA — Luzerne County Council is preparing to take a formal stance against mass automated surveillance, considering a proposed resolution that would express disapproval of network-connected license-plate reading cameras and prohibit their installation on county-owned property.
Drafted by Councilman Chris Belles, the resolution opposes situations where residents are "routinely identified, categorized, or tracked" as they travel across roads, visit public parks, or enter government facilities. Under the measure, the county would pledge not to allocate local funds, accept grant funding, or permit the installation of mass automated surveillance systems—such as Flock Safety cameras—on county real estate or infrastructure.
The proposal comes amid growing local and statewide civil liberty concerns regarding automated license plate readers (ALPRs). The AI-powered devices capture real-time images of passing vehicles and store details in searchable databases accessible across law enforcement agencies, prompting state lawmakers in Harrisburg to weigh potential regulatory limits or outright bans.
While Belles emphasized that County Council lacks legal authority to dictate how independent local municipalities or police departments deploy the technology, the resolution aims to set an official policy boundaries for county-administered assets. The measure specifically carves out exceptions for standard security cameras inside and outside public buildings, as well as targeted law enforcement uses—such as tracking stolen vehicles, locating missing persons, or responding to specific active criminal investigations with a documented legal basis.
The resolution was sparked in part after Councilman Harry Haas recently suggested placing Flock cameras near county mail ballot drop boxes.
The measure is currently under legal review by the county law office. Council Chairman Jimmy Sabatino expects to place the proposal on council’s agenda for discussion during its upcoming Sept. 22 work session.
