Someone cut down two secretive surveillance cameras in a small South Carolina town about 30 miles southeast of Charlotte, sparking a criminal investigation and reigniting the nationwide debate over privacy, surveillance, and crime-fighting technology.
The Pageland Police Department said two Flock Safety camera poles were vandalized in the Chesterfield County town of just over 2,500 residents.
Flock Safety cameras automatically photograph license plates and store the information in a searchable database that participating law enforcement agencies can access during investigations.
While many departments credit the cameras with helping solve thousands of crimes, the technology has drawn growing criticism from privacy advocates.
Critics argue the systems track the movements of ordinary drivers who are not suspected of crimes and raise concerns about data sharing, oversight, and government surveillance. The technology has also faced lawsuits over privacy issues, and some communities have ended contracts after learning license plate data had been shared with federal agencies.
The Pageland Police Department is asking for people with information regarding the individual(s) responsible to contact the Pageland Police Department at 843-672-6437.
