CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — West Virginia lawmakers are giving Flock Safety until Sept. 17 to provide more detailed answers about the company’s camera technology and security practices, warning they could pursue subpoenas if it does not comply.

Flock responded Sept. 1 to questions raised after its testimony during August legislative interim meetings. The company said its central cloud environment has never been compromised by an external attacker and defended its security practices.

But lawmakers said the response did not address many of their concerns.

“Our question was not whether their database had been breached,” Del. Tristan Leavitt, R-Kanawha, said. “It was about the security of the cameras themselves.”

Lawmakers are seeking data on unauthorized access, false hot-list alerts, employee access to customer data and data retention policies.

Leavitt said the Legislature has authority to issue subpoenas if Flock does not provide the requested information by the deadline.

“If we get to a situation where the request that we’ve made to answer the questions of our Legislature aren’t answered, then that’s a step we can take,” Leavitt said.

The questions come as some West Virginians push back against the use of Flock’s automated license plate reader cameras. In Huntington, organizers are collecting signatures in an effort to put the city’s use of the cameras before voters.

Kyle Vass, an organizer involved with Get the Flock Out Huntington, said Flock has not adequately addressed public concerns.

“Flock continues to not take seriously the concerns of people, including lawmakers who are trying to hold them to account and trying to have them be transparent about what it is that they do and don’t do with their technologies,” Vass said.

Leavitt said he is not seeking an outright ban on the cameras but questioned whether governments should work with a company that he believes has not been forthcoming.

“It does raise the question when you have a company that is so unwilling to be forthcoming, whether that is somebody that people should be doing business with,” he said.

Others argue lawmakers should have pressed the company more aggressively during its August appearance.

“I think getting reassurance or some clarification on these points where Flock has been lying would have been first and foremost in that meeting rather than just something that they kind of allowed to be brushed off at the time,” Get the Flock Out Huntington’s Kelly Coyle said.

Leesbug (Va.) Loudoun Sports Academy 2028 wide receiver Caleb Smoot visited West Virginia for the season opener against Coastal Carolina and left with an offer from the program.

Smoot, 6-foot-1, 175-pounds, had been in contact with the Mountaineers since June 15 and the visit gave him a chance to meet with inside wide receivers coach

HURRICANE, W.Va (WDTV) – The West Virginia State Parks Foundation announced the launch of their “Fall Colors are always Free” photography contest, inviting photographers to capture West Virginia’s state parks, forests, and rail trails during the fall season.

The contest will run from September 8th to November 6th, 2026, and is open to both amateur and professional photographers.

“We recently wrapped up our summer photo contest,” said Foundation Executive Director Brad Reed. “We received hundreds of incredible submissions that showcased our state park areas as true four-season destinations.”

Reed added, “As our fall weather approaches and the leaves begin to turn, visitation from both residents and tourists increases significantly. We encourage park guests to enjoy everything these special places have to offer—and to capture those unforgettable moments through photography to share with others.”

Photographs must be taken in a West Virginia State Park, state forest, or on a rail trail. Contest winners will receive prizes from the West Virginia State Parks system and the Foundation.

“We are looking for images of anything and everything on our state park areas that showcase the beauty of our incredible parks in their full patchwork quilt of autumn.” Said Reed. “It might be a picture of your family enjoying the outdoors, a handsome pet, a beautiful landscape, or an amazing recreational feature; just make sure it has that wonderful tapestry of fall colors in the background.”

For more information and official contest rules, visit: https://www.lovewvstateparks.com/events/

Editor’s note: The video for this story will be added once it airs. Please check back for the updated video.