State Rep. Ernie Yarbrough (R-Trinity) is hoping the Legislature will take up the issue of Flock cameras in the Yellowhammer State during the next session.

The license plate reader cameras have received new scrutiny across the country in recent weeks following several cases of law enforcement abusing the technology.

The CEO of surveillance technology company Flock Safety, Garrett Langley, recently apologized for those instances of corruption by officials using the technology.

“Hindsight tends to be very clear,” Langley said. “And I think, of course, we could have done more earlier, and we listen, and we learn, and we’ll continue to move forward because until everyone has an equal level of safety in this country, we have work to do.”

Yarbrough discussed the issue Thursday on WVNN’s “The Yaffee Program.”

“I support our police. I believe in back in the blue. No question that Antifa BLM type stuff has created disastrous situations for law enforcement, and I’m for fixing all of that, but it should never be at the expense of the liberties and freedoms that are essential to me as an American citizen,” Yarbrough argued. “A Flock camera system is not just-it’s not just you know a tag reader. It makes digital profiles of your car, and when and there’s technology out there.”

The state lawmaker understands the cameras do have some benefits to a community, but believes individual liberty is more important.

“[W]e as American citizens value our privacy. We have a right to that,” he said. “And look, if the data is collected by private companies or private businesses to protect their their area or private citizens on their property, no problem there, but that only should be accessed by a warrant. But if the government is the one collecting and mass surveilling their people, then what’s even the point of having a warrant? Like it makes no sense. So I am I am adamantly opposed to the mass surveillance and the tracking of our people, and it’s always the cry for safety.”

Yarbrough said this kind of surveillance is not needed to fight against crime in the state.

“Why is it that crime was so low when my dad was a child, and even when I was a kid?” Yarbrough asked. “They they took guns to school in the back of their trucks, and they shot at school after school with the principal or school leadership at gun clubs shooting clay pigeons and stuff. Nobody ever dreamed of having school violence like it is now…The solution is not just surrender our freedoms to technology; it’s to go back to root, fundamental cause issues and deal with it in that way.”

He also said this is something he plans on bringing up during the next legislative session.

“You know, that’s certainly going to be a conversation,” he explained. “And we’ll see what unfolds between now and session, but we are going to look at every available option and avenue before us to protect the rights of American citizens in Alabama…So we will certainly take Article One, Section 35 of our state constitution seriously because we swore to uphold it.”

Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee