The Irmo Town Council voted Tuesday, July 21, to sign a contract for the use of 22 new Flock Safety security cameras within town limits in addition to the 11 cameras already present.

Irmo Police Chief Bobby Dale and town officials strongly supported the use of these cameras, but nine of the 10 residents who spoke during time reserved for public comment were vehemently against the installation.

Residents addressed instances in other towns where law enforcement officers reportedly misused data from the cameras, specifically in Greer where an officer was accused of using the automated license plate readers to stalk his ex-partner.

“I fundamentally believe that Irmo is a good place,” said Connie Turner. “I don’t feel the need to live under a microscope.”

The vote was 4-1, with Councilman Gabriel Penfield holding the dissenting opinion. He addressed Officer Dale directly before the vote to explain his concerns.

“I want to support you with everything I can,” said Penfield, “but there’s a line I struggle to cross.”

The Irmo Police Department has not chosen locations for the new cameras yet, according to Public Information Officer Ashley Hunter, who said the agency’s current focus is correcting misinformation about the technology’s purpose and promoting citizens’ safety.

“The cameras wiil not be any different than the ones we already have,” said Hunter. “So, we know they work, and balance both public safety and preserving citizen privacy.”