Communities that have ‘deflocked’ by shutting down cameras amid license-plate privacy backlash

Flock cameras have been shut down by officials in several states this month following privacy concerns about the automated license-plate reading technology.

Flock, an Atlanta -based tech company, has been the center of controversy over its cameras that had been praised for helping police find missing people and suspected criminals. But now, those being surveilled are worried about their right to privacy because of the reported misuse of the technology.

Early this month, The Washington Post reported that at least 50 law enforcement officers were charged with or accused of misusing Flock cameras and other surveillance systems, including to stalk women.

In August alone, local officials in four states decided to pull the plug on Flock cameras in their cities, at least temporarily.

The Independent has reached out to Flock for comment, but its media team said it was currently “taking a break” from responding to requests.

The town council in Narragansett, Rhode Island , voted unanimously to cancel its contract with Flock on August 3, according to local outlet WPRI , which reported on the community’s reaction to the cameras.

“Do we really want to be a town that always wants to be under surveillance for every single thing?” one resident asked.

Narragansett Police Chief Kyle Rekas defended Flock as a “valuable tool.”

The city council in Ord, Nebraska , also voted to remove Flock cameras on August 3.

“We agree that while FLOCK is a highly effective investigative asset for law enforcement, the technology introduces complex privacy concerns that warrant a national-level conversation,” the Ord Police Department wrote on Facebook following the decision.

“The Ord Police Department will continue to aggressively investigate crime and protect our neighborhoods using strategies that uphold community consensus and trust.”

An official of Hood County in Northern Texas celebrated the removal of Flock cameras in his community in a Facebook post over the weekend.

“I’ve finished the job of shutting down the county’s Flock cameras. They’ve been completely unplugged and covered,” Hood County Constable John D. Shirley wrote in the post.

“These cameras were constantly scanning and recording regular folks just going about their day. That kind of permanent, warrantless tracking doesn’t belong in a free society. By unplugging and covering them, we’re making it clear: privacy isn’t optional, and mass surveillance isn’t how we do things here,” he wrote.