BISBEE, Ariz. (KGUN) — Cochise County Board Chair and District 3 Supervisor Frank Antenori and Sheriff Mark Dannels announced Jan. 21 that they will ask fellow supervisors to support a decision not to pursue Flock Safety automated license plate reader (LPR) cameras, citing concerns about privacy, long‑term data retention and the broader implications of surveillance technology.
The pair said they will ask the Board of Supervisors to amend a previously approved grant so the county can remove Flock as the named vendor and explore other options. The original grant, approved in October 2025 by the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, provided $54,000 for the installation of Flock cameras.
“Once surveillance infrastructure is in place, it rarely goes away,” Antenori said in a joint statement. He added that he and sheriff’s leadership agreed to “assess other vendors in our approach,” and stressed the move reflects local values and priorities rather than opposition to technology or law enforcement. “This isn't about being anti‑technology or anti‑law enforcement,” Antenori said. “It's about being cautious stewards of both taxpayer dollars and civil liberties.”
Flock Safety systems automatically capture images of vehicle license plates and other identifying features, storing that data for later search and analysis. While proponents promote LPR systems as crime‑fighting tools, critics have raised questions about oversight, who can access the data and how long it is retained — concerns Antenori and Dannels cited in their announcement.
“Public safety and public trust go hand in hand,” Sheriff Dannels said, emphasizing that Cochise County law enforcement will continue to collaborate with neighboring jurisdictions and state and federal partners using established investigative methods. Dannels said the sheriff’s office uses tools that are “targeted, lawful, and appropriate to specific cases.”
Antenori has called for a Board work session in early February to discuss the issue with fellow supervisors Tom Crosby (District 1) and Kathleen Gomez (District 2). Any amendment to the grant description would then return to the full Board of Supervisors for approval.
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