The Idaho Falls Police Department has implemented surveillance systems and enacted ordinances that violate state law and constitutional protections. Recent reports show that Idaho Falls is among several Idaho cities using Flock Safety camera systems that are currently facing legal challenges across the state.  These systems have raised serious privacy concerns, with evidence that data collected by these cameras is being shared with federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

DEMANDED ACTIONS

We hereby 

STATE INVESTIGATION by the Idaho Attorney General's Office into all city officials and police department leadership who approved, implemented, or failed to prevent these illegal actions

IMMEDIATE REMOVAL of all unauthorized Flock cameras and deletion of all data collected by these systems

REVISSION of the illegal liquor ordinance that exceeds state authority

IMPLEMENTATION of proper civilian oversight mechanisms to prevent future government overreach

PUBLIC HEARING on these matters within 30 days of this petition

 

SPECIFIC VIOLATIONS

1. ILLEGAL FLOCK CAMERA SURVEILLANCE

The Idaho Falls Police Department has installed Flock Safety surveillance cameras throughout our community without proper legal authorization, violating:

Idaho's privacy protection statutes

Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure

Idaho Code § 49-1432 regarding data collection and usage

 

These cameras continuously photograph and store data on all vehicles passing by, creating an unconstitutional tracking system. Similar systems in other Idaho cities have already resulted in abuse of power, such as in Jerome County where a deputy sheriff used Flock cameras to track his wife's car more than 700 times over three months.

2. ILLEGAL LIQUOR ORDINANCE

The city is trying to pass a liquor ordinance that exceeds state authority and violates Idaho's uniform liquor laws by:

Imposing restrictions beyond what state law permits

Creating arbitrary enforcement standards

Infringing on legitimate business operations and consumer rights

 

ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES

We demand that the Idaho Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) conduct a thorough investigation into the chief of police's conduct and determine whether certification sanctions are appropriate. As seen in other Idaho jurisdictions, when law enforcement officials violate public trust, they must be held accountable, including termination of employment when necessary.