Local officials respond to concerns about Flock license plate readers

Local law enforcement officials are responding to recent media reports regarding Flock Safety cameras and Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs), defending the cameras’ usefulness in solving crimes and describing reports of access by federal immigration officials as misleading.

“Flock cameras are the biggest benefit to criminal justice since DNA, in my opinion,” Miami County Sheriff Dave Duchak said. “The media coverage on them has been awful, and quite frankly, completely deceiving, especially the recent Dayton Daily News article.”

“The Tipp City Police Department does not share ALPR access directly with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),” Tipp City Police Chief Greg Adkins said. “The Tipp City Police Department does not engage in immigration enforcement activities on behalf of federal agencies, nor does it conduct ALPR searches solely for immigration-related purposes.”

“The department cannot control other agencies that may have separate agreements with ICE or assigned task force officers who conduct searches through nationwide ALPR networks,” Adkins said.

“Audit data indicates that Tipp City ALPR cameras were not accessed solely for immigration enforcement purposes,” he said. “Rather, these searches occurred at a national level across thousands of ALPR systems and were conducted by external agencies, not initiated, directed, or accessed by Tipp City Police personnel.”

Use of Flock systems in the city of Dayton was recently suspended following reports from several local media outlets that ALPR data had been accessed by federal immigration authorities.

Tipp City currently operates eight Flock Safety ALPR cameras located throughout the city, Adkins said.

“ALPR systems are not video surveillance cameras,” Adkins said. “These systems capture still images of the rear of a vehicle and the associated license plate number. The technology does not utilize facial recognition, predictive policing, demographic profiling, or traffic enforcement capabilities.”

“Flock ALPR cameras were installed in early 2023,” he said. “Each camera costs approximately $2,500 annually, and the city is currently operating under a five-year agreement that includes maintenance and cloud storage services.”

The Tipp City Police Department maintains a Flock Transparency Portal with information on the camera system’s use, which is available through the city’s website at www.tippcityohio.gov.

According to data from the transparency portal, Flock systems in Tipp City were used for 177,344 unique plate reads in the last 30 days. The portal also currently reports 81 user search sessions over the last 30 days.

“To date, Flock technology has assisted in investigations resulting in more than 100 arrests involving serious criminal offenses,” Adkins said. “Flock Safety cameras are highly effective in helping solve and deter localized crime, while providing patrol officers with real-time updates and investigative leads across the system.”

“The technology serves as an additional set of eyes for officers in the field, and acts as a force multiplier for law enforcement agencies operating with limited staffing resources,” he said.

“When used appropriately and within policy, the system provides valuable investigative support that assists officers in solving crimes, recovering stolen vehicles, locating missing persons, and improving overall public safety,” Adkins said.

INFO BOX

The Tipp City Police Department uses Flock Safety technology to:

• Locate stolen vehicles quickly, often within hours, reducing the likelihood of dangerous pursuits and additional criminal activity

• Identify suspect vehicles involved in thefts, burglaries, robberies, violent crimes, and other investigations

• Eliminate innocent individuals from investigations early, helping protect civil liberties and conserve investigative resources

• Assist in locating missing juveniles and adults when time is critical

• Support regional crime-fighting efforts involving offenders operating across multiple jurisdictions and states

• Improve officer and public safety by providing vehicle information prior to law enforcement contact

• Assist in solving serious crimes that might otherwise remain unsolved, including homicides, hit-skip crashes, and financial crimes