Krampus enters license plate camera fight in Massachusetts, says Flock can catch 'naughty thoughts'

Debate over police surveillance technology in Massachusetts took a theatrical turn in Billerica when someone dressed as Krampus — the horned folklore figure known for punishing the naughty — used a Select Board meeting to mockingly champion license plate readers.

The costume was intended as a joke, but the issue at the center of it was not. The broader question was who should be allowed to track people's movements — and how much oversight should come with that kind of power.

Here's what to know

According to Boston.com, a Billerica resident appeared at a public meeting as "Krampus Kringle, Address: Underworld" and offered a tongue-in-cheek case for Flock Safety's automatic license plate reader cameras.

"Santa handles incentives; I handle corrective action," the speaker said. "This stuff is right up my alley: people associating with the wrong crowds, being subversive, thinking naughty thoughts. With Flock, we can find that, and we can punish it before people have had the chance to actually do anything illegal."

Boston.com reported that municipalities around Massachusetts have been reexamining their relationships with Flock after data security worries and allegations that officers used the system to keep tabs on significant others and exes.

Backers of the company's cameras said they help police solve cases, leaving local leaders to balance investigative benefits against concerns about privacy and civil liberties.

More background

Although Billerica still has its cameras in operation, Select Board Secretary Daniel Darris-O'Connor pushed in February to prohibit automated license plate readers. Lowell, a neighboring city, has paused Flock use while officials review policies covering both the system and its data.

Boston.com said the person in the Krampus costume drew inspiration from two places: a San Diego commenter who wore a Darth Vader outfit to speak to public safety officials, and Darris-O'Connor's alleged comment that anyone could address the Select Board as "Mickey Mouse."

"I felt like several residents had already spoken up and made the general points I wanted to make; going as Krampus felt like a way to have a different spin on that, paired with some performance art, that I hope will be impactful," the masked resident said, per Boston.com.

What's being done?

Massachusetts communities are responding in different ways, but the common thread has been increased scrutiny. In Lowell, that has meant pausing the system while officials review policy. In Billerica, it has meant continued pressure from both residents and officials over whether the technology belongs in town at all.

Public meetings have become a central venue for that debate.

The masked resident said, "I also think humor is a great way to connect with people, and get them to care about issues they might otherwise ignore."

The resident said the stunt was ultimately about civic participation as much as privacy. "These things impact our daily lives, and it turns out they let just anyone speak at local meetings — human or otherwise. You don't need to be special or in leadership or anything — I'm just a random resident who happens to own a demon goat mask."

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