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SAYREVILLE, NJ — New surveillance cameras installed around Sayreville are prompting questions about where the line should be drawn between public safety and personal privacy.

The issue led to a lengthy discussion during the public portion of the Aug. 17 Borough Council meeting, with one resident raising concerns about how the cameras can track vehicles while others argued the technology could help police solve crimes and keep residents safer.

By the end of the discussion, council members called for a public forum where residents could learn more about the technology and ask questions directly.

‘Every Single Time I Leave My Home’

Philip, a Lakeview Drive resident who said he has lived in Sayreville for 15 years, raised concerns about a Flock camera installed near the entrance and exit of Brooklawn Gardens.

“That camera can see every single time I leave my home and every time I get home,” Philip told the council.

He argued that having a camera at the only way in and out of the neighborhood effectively allows residents’ movements to be tracked.

Philip described the system as a “24-seven virtual police checkpoint” and questioned why cameras were placed at the entrances of neighborhoods including Brooklawn Gardens and Winding Woods.

He also raised concerns about how long information collected by the system could be retained and questioned the borough’s decision to spend money on the technology.

Councilman Says He Welcomes The Cameras

Councilman Stanley Synarski offered a different perspective.

Synarski, who lives in the Sherwood Forest area, said he has seen an increase in thefts in his neighborhood since access to the Garden State Parkway was added on Main Street.

“I actually welcome that camera,” Synarski said.

Synarski said he believes the cameras could help with crimes as well as incidents such as motor vehicle crashes.

“For me in my area, I am not against it at all,” Synarski said.

Resident Ken Olszewski also spoke about the potential public safety benefits, particularly when it comes to dangerous drivers.

“Do you ever drive down the highway and have a car come flying by you and make eight or 10 lane changes within your view?” Olszewski said. “I would love to have cameras there to get those people off the road.”

Olszewski said he values privacy but also believes the technology can have public safety benefits.

Mayor Points To Crime-Fighting Potential

Mayor Kennedy O’Brien also defended the use of camera technology, pointing to crimes where suspects quickly flee the area.

O’Brien referenced a pharmacy burglary on Main Street in which suspects fled toward the Garden State Parkway.

The mayor said camera systems such as Flock have already been “very instrumental in resolving a lot of crime.”

The discussion reflected two competing concerns raised throughout the evening: whether the cameras give law enforcement another useful tool to investigate crime and whether that benefit justifies the amount of information potentially collected about residents’ movements.

Could Sayreville Hold A Public Forum?

Councilman Alberto Rios said he supported giving residents an opportunity to learn more about the technology and its limitations.

Rios also responded to Philip’s comments about critics of surveillance technology reportedly being characterized as domestic terrorists.

“I don’t think that… calling them domestic terrorists is fair,” Rios said.

He suggested holding a town hall-style discussion where residents could better understand the cameras and potentially discuss restrictions on their use.

Council President John Zebrowski also said he wanted to hear more from both borough officials and residents.

Councilwoman Mary Novak asked Business Administrator Glenn Skarzynski to coordinate a public forum that could include Sayreville police command staff and representatives from Flock.

Such a meeting would give residents an opportunity to ask questions about how the cameras operate, what information is collected and what safeguards govern the system’s use.

No changes to the camera program were approved during the discussion.

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