The meeting leader tried to cut in almost as soon as the words left his mouth. Too late — the clip was already circulating by the time anyone thought to worry about that.
What Was Actually Said
At an Aug. 13 work session, Kingsport Commissioner Joe Carr turned to a Flock Safety representative and told him the company was "one of the most hated," "one of the most corrupt companies in America." Then he went further: "Quite frankly, sir, I don't think we can make America great again without hanging your CEO publicly for treason."
Mr. Carr, we are not going to threaten violence to anybody.
Meeting chair, interrupting Carr
Carr's Walk-Back
Asked about the remark afterward, Carr insisted he hadn't meant it literally. "I didn't call for lynchings, I called for due process," he said. "You want to try the guy first." Whether that softens the original line is, at this point, a matter of taste — the clip had already spread well beyond Kingsport.
What Happened Next
Within days, Sullivan County Sheriff Jeff Cassidy suspended all 10 of the county's Flock automated license plate readers, citing "legitimate concerns" about "privacy, oversight, and government surveillance." He also asked the county commission to consider putting the technology's future to a public vote, letting residents decide directly whether the cameras come back.
Why a Camera Company Draws This Much Heat
Flock's automated license plate readers now sit on poles in thousands of communities, logging every car that passes — not just ones flagged in a crime, but everyone's. That dragnet-by-default design is exactly what's fueling the backlash: it's not one town's dispute, it's a live argument happening in city council chambers across the country about how much tracking residents are willing to accept in exchange for the promise of safety.
