Dutchess County committee votes to cover Flock cameras, push out ARCTIC crime center
By June Mercer | October 10, 2026
The Dutchess County Legislature's Public Safety Committee moved Thursday to cover up the county's network of automated license-plate-reader cameras and accelerate the shutdown of the county's real-time crime center, known as ARCTIC.
What the Committee Did
At its October 8 meeting, the committee advanced a resolution requiring that any Flock Safety license-plate-reader camera still physically installed in Dutchess County after October 25 be covered with opaque, non-damaging material within seven days, and remain covered until further action. Democratic Legislator Chris Drago (D-Stanford) pushed the resolution through committee.
Cameras Already Offline
The county's Flock cameras had already been deactivated on September 25, before the committee's formal action. The resolution is aimed at making that suspension visible and permanent, rather than leaving hardware in place that could be reactivated.
What ARCTIC Is
ARCTIC, the county's Automated Real-Time Crime and Intelligence Center, relies on the Flock license-plate readers as a core component. The cameras scan passing vehicles, log plate numbers, and feed that data into the crime center for law enforcement use. Without functioning Flock cameras, ARCTIC cannot operate as designed.
How It Got Here
The committee's action follows a public forum on the Flock system, after which the Dutchess County District Attorney and Sheriff agreed to stop using the technology. Both offices said they were reviewing their contracts with Flock Safety to determine how to end the agreements immediately, according to reporting by Mid Hudson News.
What Comes Next
The resolution still needs approval from the full Dutchess County Legislature before it takes effect. If passed, the county would be required to physically cover any remaining installed cameras by the deadline, keeping them blacked out until the legislature acts again.
