Huntington council approves $2.1 million Flock surveillance technology contract after overnight meeting
Huntington City Council voted 6-4 on July 14, 2026, to authorize an approximately $2.1 million contract with Flock Safety for a planned surveillance technology system serving the City of Huntington and the Huntington Police Department.
The authorization followed hours of public opposition at Huntington City Hall. More than 50 people spoke during public comment, with speakers largely opposing the proposal. The meeting continued until nearly 4 a.m. after protests inside and outside the building.
What the council approved
The contract concerns Flock Safety technology, including automated license-plate readers and related surveillance equipment. Reported plans call for more than 40 license-plate readers, 17 cameras, two drones and two gunshot-detection devices.
The council action authorizes the contract; it does not mean every planned device has already been installed. The reported contract value is approximately $2.1 million.
The decision commits Huntington to a large new surveillance system involving technology intended for city and police use. Council members who supported the authorization said it was meant to help address crime and improve public safety.
That stated purpose is not evidence that the technology will reduce crime. The reports establish the council’s rationale for approving the contract, but do not establish the system’s future effectiveness.
Opposition dominated public comment
Public comment stretched through a lengthy meeting that ran into the early morning. The more than 50 speakers documented at the meeting were largely opposed to the proposed system, and protests occurred both inside and outside City Hall.
The turnout and opposition show substantial concern among people who participated in the meeting. They do not establish that all Huntington residents oppose the contract or provide a citywide measure of public opinion.
The reported concerns surrounding the decision include privacy, policing, data retention and accountability. The council nevertheless approved the contract by a two-vote margin.
Implementation details remain unestablished
Neither cited report established a precise installation schedule or identified final locations for cameras and other devices. The reports also did not establish the contract’s complete terms for retaining or sharing data collected through the system.
Those unanswered details separate the council’s authorization from the practical rollout of the planned technology. No further implementation deadline or next formal council action was established in the cited reports.