A Time for Healing: Why Columbia Must Reject Flock Safety Cameras

Impact Statement from Stan Byndom #BlkHandSide

As we gather tonight at City Hall to vote on the proposal for Flock Safety cameras, we must not only consider the immediate impact but reflect deeply on Columbia’s history, our future, and the true meaning of public safety.

For too long, our city has been shaped by policies rooted in control and suppression, particularly of Black and Brown communities. We need to ensure that today’s decisions do not continue this legacy but instead serve to heal, empower, and build trust.

The Legacy of Suppression in Columbia

Using our Intent to Suppress Rights (ISR) formula, we’ve analyzed the historical actions that have shaped the landscape of Columbia for marginalized communities. The results are clear: our city has been built on a foundation of policies that suppressed, divided, and weakened communities of color.

Examples include:

1. The Destruction of Sharp End (1970s) – A thriving Black business district torn down in the name of urban renewal, erasing economic growth and generational wealth.

? ISR = (9 × 40 × 8) - 1 = 2,879

2. Redlining and Housing Discrimination (1900s-present) – Systemic exclusion from homeownership opportunities, which crippled the ability to build wealth.

? ISR = (10 × 60 × 9) - 2 = 5,398

3. School Segregation and Underfunding (Post-Brown v. Board of Education) – Black children confined to underfunded schools, limiting their future opportunities.

? ISR = (8 × 40 × 7) - 3 = 2,217

This pattern of intentional suppression has been clear for over two centuries. It’s not just history—it’s a living reality. And the proposal to install Flock Safety cameras represents a continuation of this trajectory.

Flock Safety Cameras: Another Step in Suppression?

The Flock Safety proposal uses License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology to surveil the movement of vehicles in Columbia. It’s presented as a tool for reducing crime, but we must ask—at what cost?

Here’s the ISR score for Flock Safety:

? ISR = (7 × 20 × 7) - 1 = 978

While the score is lower than some historical policies, it is still a dangerous step toward over-surveillance, particularly in communities already over-policed.

This technology opens the door for biased policing, overreach, and a deepening of mistrust between law enforcement and the community, especially for Black and Brown residents.

The Solution: Healing and Empowerment

But Columbia has a choice. We don’t have to continue down this path. Instead, we can embrace policies that heal, empower, and uplift the very communities that have borne the brunt of these suppressive measures.

Here’s where we introduce the Intent to Empower and Heal (IEH) formula—a method to measure the true power of community-focused solutions.

IEH Formula:

Where:

? P = Policy Empowerment Factor (0-10)

? T = Time Factor (Years of Positive Impact)

? I = Intent Factor (Designed to Heal and Empower)

? H = Healing Effect (0-10)

Let’s apply this to solutions Columbia can adopt instead of Flock Safety:

1. Community-Led Public Safety Initiatives – Empowering neighborhoods to build safety programs and reducing reliance on invasive surveillance.

? IEH = (9 × 15 × 9) + 8 = 1,223

2. Restorative Justice Programs – Shifting from punishment to rehabilitation and reintegration, addressing the root causes of crime.

? IEH = (10 × 20 × 9) + 9 = 1,809

3. Reparative Housing and Economic Investment – Funding for affordable housing and direct investments in Black and Brown businesses to rebuild generational wealth.

? IEH = (10 × 25 × 10) + 10 = 2,510

These solutions aren’t just theoretical—they work. Other cities that have shifted to community-led initiatives and restorative justice models have seen real decreases in crime, increased trust in law enforcement, and stronger, more resilient neighborhoods.

Our Call to Action: Columbia Must Lead by Example

Tonight, we stand at a crossroads. Will Columbia be a city that repeats the mistakes of the past—using surveillance and control as the primary means of “safety”? Or will we chart a new course toward a future of empowerment, equity, and true safety for all?

I urge the City Council and the residents of Columbia to reject the Flock Safety proposal and instead invest in solutions that uplift our community. Let’s create a city where public safety is built on trust, healing, and mutual accountability—not fear and surveillance.

A Path to Healing: Columbia as a National Model

What we do here today matters beyond our city limits. By embracing healing-centered solutions, Columbia can become a national model for cities across the country, especially the 310 U.S. cities with populations over 100,000. Each of these cities faces similar challenges, and each can benefit from the solutions we’re offering today.

Our Offer: BlkHandSide Collective, L3C is ready to lead this transformation. We’ve already built the framework and the formula to guide this healing process, and we’re committed to supporting Columbia in creating long-term, sustainable change.

We invite the city to work with us to:

• Implement community-led safety models.
• Reinvest in historically marginalized communities.
• Adopt restorative justice and reparative economic policies.
• Build a future where every resident feels safe, valued, and empowered.

Final Call: This Is Our Moment for Change

This is more than a vote on technology—it’s a vote on the kind of city we want to live in. Will we continue the legacy of suppression, or will we choose healing and empowerment?

As the Chief Fulfillment Officer of BlkHandSide Collective, I am calling for Columbia to stand with us, reject harmful surveillance, and embrace a future of equity and empowerment.

#NoStoryUntold #HealingColumbia #EmpowermentThroughAction #CommunitySafety #BlkHandSideCollective