COWETA, Okla. — A lack of trust from the community. Something Coweta police chief Mike Bell wants to fix.
“We’ve kind of had a fractured relationship with our public,” Bell said. “They’ve questioned the transparency of the city government. I want to show that the city government is in fact actually listening to them. We are concerned about their concerns.”
WATCH: NO MORE FLOCK: Coweta to remove cameras
Coweta to remove Flock cameras
A concern they’ve heard? Two Flock cameras in town on Highway 51. One near the Walmart on 111th, the other down off 121st.
On August 11, Chief Bell announced they won’t renew with Flock in September, saying in a statement the public claimed they violated their 4th amendment rights. The decision drew positive comments on social media.
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“I’m happy that they’re excited about that,” Bell said. “I’m sad that we had to lose a great tool that helped us out, but this is what the public wants. I want to build that trust back with them.”
Bell says their two cameras in town were not put up for “nefarious reasons,” but because businesses wanted them. The cameras, installed four years ago according to Bell, didn’t bother some people in town like Misty Edwards, who owns the 4 Tons of Blessings Mercantile and Cafe.
“If you have nothing to hide, then why is it such a big deal? I mean, you should obey the traffic laws, you should do what you’re supposed to be doing, and then there’s really no reason why it should be such a controversial issue,” Edwards said.
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She added she still appreciates the department listening to the public.
“If it wasn’t right for our community and he felt the need to pull them down, then by all means,” Edwards said. “I’ll support whatever he does.”
Bell says moving forward, it’s about educating the community about what Flock does and how it helps his department keep the city safe.
“I’m not saying I’m going to go back out and get the system right now, but I would like to look at that venture later on down the road if the citizens feel more comfortable with it,” Bell said.
Bell added the city of Coweta doesn’t own the cameras or poles they sit on, so Flock will be responsible for coming and taking those down in September.
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