Editor’s note: A version of this story appeared in the Smoky Mountain News’ Wednesday, Sept. 30, print edition titled, “Jackson drags heels over Flock records request.” The Jackson County Sheriff’s office sent over a portion of the records SMN requested just after the print deadline on Tuesday, Sept. 29. This story has now been updated to reflect the records JCSO has since provided.

Seven weeks after the Smoky Mountain News requested public records from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) regarding county-owned Flock Safety cameras, JCSO has sent a portion of the requested records to the Smoky Mountain News.

On Aug. 11, SMN requested the following public records request to Jackson County:

  1. The location of each Flock Safety camera currently operated or maintained by Jackson County or the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, including the street address, intersection, roadway, or other available location information for each device.
  2. The model or type of Flock Safety camera installed at each location.
  3. The year each Flock Safety camera was installed.
  4. The purchase, installation, lease, or other initial cost associated with each Flock Safety camera or device.
  5. The current annual cost of Jackson County’s contract, subscription, or other agreement with Flock Safety, including any recurring fees associated with the cameras, software, data storage, maintenance, or related services.

After several follow-up attempts throughout the ensuing seven weeks on the status of the request, JCSO emailed a response to SMN on Sept. 29 after an article detailing the agency’s lack of response went to print. Here is what SMN has learned from the records JCSO provided:

  1. The locations of the four JCSO-owned Flock cameras are: one on US-74 across the highway from Starlight Motel, one on N.C. 107 near Cashiers Sotheby’s International Realty, one on the Macon-Jackson County line on U.S. Route 23, and one on U.S. 441 South across the highway from Rockhound Ridge Gem Mine and Rock Shop.
  2. All JCSO Flock cameras are the Flock Safety Falcon model, which only has the capability to take still pictures of cars. Some Flock Safety camera models have the ability to record video, use artificial intelligence to detect and follow people, and use listening features to detect loud noises. The Falcon model does not have those capabilities.
  3. JCSO has purchased six Flock Safety Falcon Cameras between September 2023 and May 2026. Two are spares that have not been deployed in 2026.
  4. JCSO failed to provide records for the department’s Flock-related expenditures including initial start-up costs and any recurring subscription fees. The agency said to reach out to the county finance department for the complete costs, and SMN submitted an additional public records request on Sept. 29 seeking that information.

JCSO Captain Tony Cope emailed SMN with the requested records apologizing for the delay, thanking SMN for our patience, and explaining that the agency is currently short-staffed and working long hours on various schedules.

Flock in Jackson County

SMN first requested the records after Jackson County Sheriff Doug Farmer gave a presentation to commissioners at an Aug. 4 work session, where he provided them with data sample collected by the cameras from June 30 to July 30 and hoped to clear up misconceptions about the technology.

Farmer told commissioners JCSO owns and operates four Flock cameras in the county and informed commissioners that the county’s Flock cameras do not have video, facial recognition, or cell phone data collection capabilities. He also said Flock data alone does not constitute probable cause, and that the technology is used as one of many tools for investigating crimes.

Farmer also said the technology has aided in the identification on several crime suspects since the technology’s implementation.

Board of Commissioners Election Implications

Farmer is running unopposed in the upcoming election for Jackson County Sheriff. He beat his Democrat opponent Rick Buchanan by nearly four points in the 2021 election and started his first term in office in 2022.

Without an opponent, Farmer has already clinched the sheriff seat for a second term, and thus far, Jackson County commissioners have made no mention of any efforts to defund the county’s contract with Flock safety, like neighboring Macon County.

Despite this, all five challenger candidates in the upcoming Board of Commissioners race have voiced unanimous Flock opposition.

Each independently said they would vote to defund Flock cameras in Jackson County.

Incumbent Republican candidate John Smith did not respond to multiple requests for an election preview interview, nor was he present at the Aug. 4 work session where Sheriff farmer gave the presentation.

Here is what each challenger candidate said about the county’s use of Flock cameras.

Casey Walawender

District 1 Democrat candidate Casey Walawender said she agrees the county should put Flock funding up for a vote and that she would vote to defund.

She said she was not a fan of surveilling the community and that, “one of the fastest ways to save a little bit of money in our budget is to get rid of them.”

David Rogers

Republican candidate for board chair David Rogers said he had previously avoided the topic in interviews as didn’t feel comfortable providing comments without doing more research.

When he spoke with SMN on Sept. 16, he said his view has changed.

He agreed that the county should put Flock funding up for a vote and that he would vote to defund, citing concerns that the cameras infringed on citizens’ rights.

“I am 100% behind our sheriff and our sheriff’s department,” Rogers said. “That being said, I think they can do their job without the Flock cameras.”

Marcia Almond

Democratic candidate for board chair Marcia Almond said she believed Flock cameras were a Fourth Amendment violation.

Almond said she would work to defund Flock if elected, pointing out she would be working for the people of Jackson County, not the Sheriff’s Office.

“Nobody wants flock cameras,” Almond said. “There’s public outcry over them. Why not take that money and give it to county employees, to the sheriff’s department, and other county employees.”

Sean Brigers

Democratic District 2 candidate Sean Bridgers said he agreed the county should put Flock funding up for a vote and that he would vote to defund, citing concerns over the ongoing surveillance of American citizens.

“I understand they make law enforcement’s jobs easier in some ways, but on principle, I’m opposed to it,” he said.

Steven J. Sutton

Republican District 2 candidate Steven J. Sutton spent roughly 30 years in law enforcement at JCSO and North Carolina State Highway Patrol. He now works for hospital police.

He said he supported Flock cameras when they first appeared but that his view has since changed.

If he had to vote today, Sutton said he would vote to defund.

He said he would support Flock cameras if more safeguards were in place, and that the technology has been helpful for Amber and Silver Alerts and stolen vehicle investigations, but that “you can’t give up everything for some good.”