West Virginia Freedom Caucus demands removal of Flock cameras, passage of Fourth Amendment Restoration Act

PRESS RELEASE

Charleston — The West Virginia Freedom Caucus is calling all localities to immediately remove Flock automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras operating throughout West Virginia.

“The Constitution does not disappear because technology advances,” said West Virginia Freedom Caucus Chairman Delegate Chris Anders.

“No state or local government should be mass tracking the daily movements of law-abiding citizens without a warrant. Mass surveillance has no place in a free society,” Delegate Anders pointed out.

“For two consecutive years, the Fourth Amendment Restoration Act has been introduced in the West Virginia Legislature, yet it has failed to reach the Governor’s desk. That must change,” informed Delegate Anders.

The bill would prohibit warrantless, real-time surveillance technologies, including automated license plate readers such as Flock cameras, facial recognition systems, multimodal vehicle recognition, drone surveillance, and other technologies capable of mass tracking, and establish meaningful civil and criminal penalties for violations.

“The Fourth Amendment was written specifically to stop the government from engaging in generalized surveillance and warrantless searches,” said Freedom Caucus Secretary Henry Dillon.

“And the Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Jones, and just this year in Chatrie v. United States, that police must get a warrant, even when private companies, such as Flock, massively track innocent people,” Delegate Dillon pointed out.

“Flock cameras don’t just identify criminals—they create a database documenting where law-abiding citizens worship, seek medical care, conduct business, and travel. That is fundamentally incompatible with a free society,” Delegate Dillon emphasized.

“The purpose of government is to protect the God-given rights of the people, not to track and record their daily activities. This unconstitutional governmental activity must end – now” Delegate Dillon stressed.

“Innocent Americans are already suffering from unconstitutional abuse of power,” said Senator Craig Hart.

“At least ten police officers across Georgia have been arrested and charged with abuse of Flock data for personal stalking and harassment, including police chief Michael Steffman,” Senator Hart reported.

“And dozens of innocent Americans have been falsely arrested at gunpoint as a result of corrupt AI,” Senator Hart added.

The West Virginia Freedom Caucus is urging state and local officials to remove existing Flock camera systems and reject any future expansion of warrantless surveillance technologies.

“The answer to crime is enforcing the law against criminals—not creating a surveillance state that treats every citizen as a suspect,” said Delegate Laura Kimble.

“We will not stop fighting until the privacy and constitutional rights guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment are fully restored, respected and protected in West Virginia,” Delegate Kimble added.

“The West Virginia Freedom Caucus is prepared to use every procedural tool available in both the House and Senate to oppose, delay, and tie up legislative business until the Fourth Amendment Restoration Act receives the consideration and vote it deserves,” warned Senator Chris Rose.

“The constitutional rights of the people of West Virginia are not bargaining chips, and we will not stand by while warrantless government surveillance continues to expand,” Senator Rose said.

Caucus members plan to build support among lawmakers and educate the public on the growing threat posed by warrantless surveillance, and force passage of the Fourth Amendment Restoration Act.

Caucus members strongly believe West Virginians should not have to surrender their constitutional liberties in the name of convenience or the false promise of greater security.