Weber County man cited for 'Flock is watching you' sign on license plate camera
David Belnap faces a class C misdemeanor and says the signs are free speech, as about 30 people protested his arrest.
Based on reporting by KSL. Read the original story →
OgdenWest HavenWashington TerraceMarriott-Slaterville
David Belnap, 59, of West Haven was cited with a class C misdemeanor after a Weber County sheriff's deputy found him near a Flock license plate camera in Marriott-Slaterville on Sunday with a sign on the pole that read "Flock is watching you," according to a probable cause statement filed Tuesday and photos from supporters.
The charge, filed in Washington Terrace Justice Court, covers altering or removing a traffic-monitoring device and carries up to 90 days in jail and a $750 fine. The deputy told him to take the sign down or be arrested, and he chose arrest and spent the night in the Weber County Jail.
Belnap says he put similar signs on the poles of nine cameras around the county without damaging them, so people can see where the readers are and decide whether they want them. "I didn't feel like I was doing anything wrong," he told FOX 13. He has hired a lawyer and says the signs are protected by the First Amendment.
About 30 people protested outside the sheriff's office, and Ogden Indivisible criticized the arrest. Utah lawmakers are weighing limits on license plate reader data ahead of the 2027 session.
Sources
- KSL: 'First Amendment right': Man plans to fight charge for placing sign identifying license-plate reader
- FOX 13: Man's arrest over flock camera sign sparks protests
This story was written by AI from the report by KSL, which has the full story. How we write stories.