What the Flock is Going On?

Recent social media posts have raised questions about electronic equipment installed high on poles along the newly revitalized Foch Street. Some residents wondered whether the devices were surveillance cameras capable of tracking public movement.

A closer look, however, shows a much simpler setup: two directional speakers and a white, dual-antenna Wi-Fi receiver.

The system, manufactured in Oklahoma City by VOX Audio Visual and marketed as Main Street Audio, is designed to provide high-fidelity sound across large outdoor spaces without extensive hardwiring.

According to VOX Audio Visual, the setup is an exposed speaker station with a Wi-Fi reinforcement antenna capable of wireless signal transmission. It uses standard 120-volt AC power and includes remote diagnostics, support, and live announcement capability.

At present, the Public Works Director maintains control of the speakers. City and MainStreet T-or-C representatives are expected to continue discussions about when the system will be used and what type of music or announcements may be played.

The confusion may stem in part from recent national attention surrounding Flock Safety cameras. Those license plate-reading cameras have made headlines over concerns about misuse, data sharing between agencies, misread plates, and whether vehicle records could be used beyond local crime investigations. Flock Safety has said its cameras focus on vehicles rather than people and do not use facial recognition, but questions about oversight, transparency, and accountability continue in communities across the country.

Residents who remain concerned about surveillance equipment can consult public mapping projects, including DeFlock and other community-run camera location maps, to identify known camera locations. Flock Safety does not publish a complete official national map of its camera network.

For now, officials say the equipment on Foch Street is intended to add music, announcements, and entertainment to the downtown experience, not to monitor residents. MainStreet and the city hope the new audio system will help make the revitalized area more welcoming for visitors and locals alike.