Bennito L. Kelty
Audio By Carbonatix
“Denver, I hear you,” Mayor Mike Johnston said on social media when he announced that the city will not renew the Flock Safety camera contract that expires March 31.
He claims he has heard the city, but has declined to meet with his constituents.
So, Flock is out and Axon Enterprise is on deck.
Coloradans for the Common Good is not convinced this is a better option for the City and County of Denver.
We have serious concerns about the danger this type of surveillance poses, especially for our immigrant community. We are worried about the implications of Axon’s $5.1 million contract with the Department of Homeland Security. It raises questions about how locally collected data could be exploited by federal enforcement officials.
Members of the Trump administration have shown a willingness to use any legal apparatus to gain information on the whereabouts of immigrants and, in some cases, U.S. citizens – whether they have criminal backgrounds or not.
These fears cannot be dismissed.
While Axon does not have a national network like Flock, its data privacy protections still appear inadequate.
“I think it’s a dream to think we can protect our information,” Denver City Councilmember Paul Kashmann said in a committee meeting. “If they want data that we are going to collect, they are going to get data we collect.”
We are alarmed that this contract is moving so quickly. Given the amount of data these cameras will collect, it is important that our elected officials have the opportunity to diligently review the contracts and understand the implications for residents. We need this process to slow down.
Instead, it appears it is being fast-tracked.
The Denver Health and Safety Committee met March 11 to discuss the Axon contract. The mayor’s office failed to provide a copy of the contract, so the committee was briefed by the mayor’s policy director and the commander of the Denver Police Department. It was not until March 13, just ahead of the next committee discussion, that the contract was provided. Is that enough time for meaningful review?
And where is the opportunity for public engagement? Sure, this process is available to the public, but only to observe, not to participate. Technology to track the citizens of Denver in our everyday lives – when we go to school, purchase groceries, drop off our ballots – is alarming. It calls for a true public hearing, a space for residents to speak up, deliberate and determine the right solution for Denver.
The proposed contract states that if there is suspicion of a breach of data, Axon shall notify the city council in 48 hours and provide a written report within an additional 72 hours. Five days between a potential breach and notification and written report to our elected officials? That means days could pass before elected officials understand the breach that occurred. Is this an acceptable risk?
We at Coloradans for the Common Good believe that most challenges can be solved or at least understood through dialogue. CCG leaders have requested a meeting with Mayor Johnston to discuss this incredibly powerful tool that will be watching all of us in Denver. So far, our request has gone unanswered.
Coloradans for the Common Good is asking for more than mere acknowledgment from the mayor. We are asking for a timely and meaningful conversation.
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