JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An apartment complex in North Jacksonville is drawing online attention after residents noticed a Flock Safety camera positioned next to the community swimming pool, prompting concerns about privacy and surveillance.
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Residents at Mezza Premier Apartments said the camera’s placement is unsettling.
“Take them down straight up. Nobody asked for it. We don’t want it — take it down,” Darrell Brown, a resident, said.
He added that the complex has been quiet and safe during his three years there, and he questioned the need for the cameras.
“Honestly, it’s invasive. I don’t like it at all. I don’t even go to the pool anymore because I don’t want people looking at me,” Brown said.
News4JAX contacted the apartment complex and spoke with tenants about their concerns. Some residents, however, said the cameras have had positive effects.
A resident who asked not to be identified said a camera near the trash cans has reduced overflowing garbage and encouraged people to pick up after their dogs.
“If I walk through the grass with my dog I don’t have to worry about stepping in poop anymore,” the resident said.
Flock Safety cameras are commonly used by businesses and neighborhoods to read license plates to help law enforcement find missing people and track suspects.
The devices have drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and civil liberties advocates amid worries about potential misuse.
Some have raised concerns about facial recognition, but Flock has said the cameras are designed to capture vehicles, not identify people.
News4JAX is waiting for a response from the apartment.
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