I was very disappointed reading the outdated criticisms being spread on losgatan.com of Flock without checking into them further.
For example, a reference suggesting that 35 customer accounts had been stolen is both old news and was due to the customer’s poor security practices of not using multi-factor authentication.
The accounts were reportedly compromised via “infostealer” malware, which steals usernames and passwords from a user’s device. And now, Flock has enabled MFA by default for new accounts and says almost all of its law enforcement customers have activated this feature to prevent similar credential-based attacks.
So, the issue was not due to Flock being hacked, but because of the poor practices of users.
A survey of Saratoga Woods residents showed that around 85% of respondents highly value the security that the Flock system has provided for our neighborhood. The data clearly shows the reductions in crime in our neighborhoods.
Do not throw the baby out with the bathwater!
Residents have voted for the Flock system. Residents have paid for the system. The vast majority of residents expect it to be reinstated promptly.
If there is some issue that I am not aware of that needs to be addressed, then fix that issue, and get it back online protecting our homes.
I will only be supporting Council members who move quickly to get it back online.
Phil Sutterlin
Saratoga
*Letters are edited for length and clarity.
I support your view Phil. Crime has gone down in Saratoga since the cameras were installed, particularly in Saratoga Woods. Now, since the cameras are not being bused we’ve had a car stolen and a theft. Unacceptable
I have been a member of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Advisory Board for 30 years and value the Flock cameras as a tool to assist our local law enforcement community. The Flock system has proven to be very effective at quickly providing potential suspect information when crime occurs.
Our neighborhood came together years ago and chose the Flock system. Today we pay for these cameras as part of our property taxes and since has been shut off. I vote to reinstate the use of the Flock cameras immediately, provided that all the dual authentication safety factors are put into place.
Please support the Flock system as the data it provides could be crucial to law enforcement to better protect our community.
It is a no-brainer … TURN THE CAMERAS ON.
I agree. We saw a significant decrease in neighborhood crime after the cameras were installed. Turn the cameras on!!!
I second the motion: turn the cameras on ! They are a huge deterrent to crime…we’ve paid for them: TURN THEM ON !
I agree that the cameras provide an excellent deterrent to crime in our neighborhood. Turn the cameras back on!
TURN THEM BACK ON! A picture of my license plate and the back of my car, in my opinion (flock cameras do not photograph the driver), does NOT constitute an “invasion of my privacy”. In my mind, the only people who would be concerned are those driving stolen cars or cars “on the watch list” because they were involved in a crime. The cameras do prevent crime. Turn them on!!!