Suffolk County delays rollout of Flock Safety ‘Raven’ system

Suffolk County has delayed the implementation of a new gunshot detection system from Flock Safety, known as the ‘Raven’ system. The county had previously signed a nearly $4 million deal to deploy the technology, which is designed to identify gunshots, car crashes, and ‘loud community disruptions.’

Instead of proceeding with the new rollout, officials have renewed a $1.2 million contract with SoundThinking, the provider of the current ShotSpotter system, for an additional year. The Suffolk County Police Department stated the extension was necessary to avoid operational disruptions and ensure continuous public safety due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’ regarding the acquisition and implementation of the new system.

The delay follows local opposition and instances of vandalism directed at Flock Safety’s existing AI-powered surveillance cameras on Long Island. While the current ShotSpotter system focuses specifically on gunfire without connecting to cameras or storing personal information, the proposed Raven system has faced criticism for being more invasive.