Keeping an eye on the things keeping an eye on license plates in Jacksonville.

Jacksonville City Council Member Jimmy Peluso held a public meeting at Jacksonville City Hall Friday about Flock camera regulation.

“Technology like the flock cameras are essentially like a hammer,” said one concerned Jacksonville resident. “You can use it to build things or destroy things. It’s all depending on the restrictions or the intent.”

Two minutes – that’s how long folks had to express their thoughts about Flock cameras while city leaders consider what kind of regulations, if any, make sense.

There was no shortage of perspectives as after a couple dozen speakers, the hour-long meeting ran out of time before everyone who filled out a comment card had a chance to take the podium.

“They’re dancing on the constitution because they’re using a third party,” said Casey Jones.

“Who owns this technology,” said Jennifer Dean. “Who controls it? Who has access to it? Why is the information being collected?”

While the vast majority opposed the cameras, it wasn’t everyone.

“I’m advocating to keep the Flock cameras in use because I know what it feels like when a family is left searching for justice,” said Latasha Hobbs.

City Council Member Jimmy Peluso is taking the feedback to draft a bill about Flock cameras.

He said he currently has three concepts in mind:

A 120-day moratorium on installing new cameras while putting a pause on the current cameras

Taking an inventory of where the cameras are set-up

Creating a process for communities to petition to remove cameras

“I think I wasn’t sure how the community really felt,” said Peluso. “People of all shapes, sizes and parts of this community seem to have a similar concern, which is, ‘We don’t know what these cameras are doing. We don’t know how they got installed, and we’re really concerned our rights are being trampled on.”

Peluso said he’s going to take some time for legal input and to see how other parts of the state are handling this issue before filing the bill.

Council Member Howland was part of the meeting and said another bill is in the works to increase the penalties on law enforcement officers who misuse the cameras.