Flock cameras have made headlines several times as people continue to raise privacy concerns. Some critics have compared the technology to an Orwellian surveillance state.
While Flock cameras may have helped recover stolen vehicles, unfortunately, some innocent citizens have suffered due to alleged erroneous reporting by the system.
There have been instances where innocent individuals were stopped by the police because a Flock camera reported them as driving a stolen vehicle. However, the investigation eventually showed that an error led the cameras to flag the wrong number plate as stolen.
Now, citing concerns over data sharing and privacy, the Los Angeles Police Department has decided not to extend the three-year contract that began in 2023 with Flock Safety. However, the department has revealed that a partnership could be possible in the future.
LAPD Allows Flock Safety Contract to End
According to a report by ABC 7 Eyewitness News, the LAPD allowed the contract with Flock Safety to end last Saturday, a move that came as a surprise to the company.
Police said the cameras helped track suspects by capturing images of vehicles and their license plates. Addressing the point about data, the LAPD confirmed that the cameras were audited for compliance. Data was stored for seven to thirty days before being deleted.
Citing residents’ concerns about how data collected by the Flock system was being used, with many claiming the technology violates privacy rights, the LAPD decided not to extend the contract. Dean Gialamas, LAPD’s chief information officer, said:
“This contract is not being renewed because of serious concerns around civil liberties and civil rights issues, particularly around privacy and the data that is being collected from these cameras.
“The LAPD had to make a difficult decision, in this case discontinuing using Flock services until we can get those data, privacy, security, and sharing concerns ironed out through a contractual relationship.”
A New Agreement Is Possible
The police department’s statement suggests it has not shut the door on Flock yet, offering the company a chance to address data privacy concerns before the parties can join hands again.
Discussions about the agreement with Flock Safety have been ongoing, and the police want to address points regarding privacy and data storage in a new contract.
Given concerns over the way Flock data is shared, Gialamas revealed that the data is being used only by the law enforcement agency, and not with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He said:
“The use is strictly for law enforcement purposes, and it is inherently not for any immigration purposes. So the cameras can be searched. If there’s criminal activity, there needs to be an active case, users have to be registered in the system, trained in the system.”
Flock Safety has responded to the LAPD’s decision not to renew the contract. Part of the statement read:
“Flock’s position has been simple: if this technology is going to be used, it should be used with strong privacy protections, strict auditability, and clear oversight.
“While this latest development comes as a surprise, we remain committed to continuing our active and ongoing conversations with LAPD to find a path forward. We are proud of our partnership with LAPD and the results it has achieved for the city.”
As for the existing Flock cameras placed around the city, it is not known if they will continue recording since the agreement has expired. Notably, many Flock cameras are owned by organizations and homeowners’ associations, and not the LAPD. The police and the city were allowed to access them.
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