Flock cameras divide New York city over safety vs. privacy

Troy, New York, is experiencing growing backlash over Flock automated license plate reader cameras. Residents argue the cameras represent constant government watching and a loss of privacy without meaningful security benefits. The cameras capture vehicle images and extract license plate data, storing it on cloud servers for a limited period. The stored information can be accessed by other police departments if permitted, and it is compared against active warrants and criminal history lists, triggering alerts to local police. Data not tied to a criminal investigation is deleted after 90 days. Police have placed 26 cameras across the city, installed in 2021 after drive-by shootings, and city leadership frames them as a tool to increase police presence and reduce crime.

"“There is no decent, civilized society that needs to be watched all the time, like a helicopter parent would of a child,” said resident Audrey McInley."

"“We've traded a lot of our privacy rights for restrictions on our freedom that translate into no additional security, but security theater,” resident Emma Delipia said."

"Residents are concerned about Flock cameras, automated license plate readers that extract data from images of vehicles. Flock cameras store data on a cloud-based server for a period of time, where it can be accessed by other police departments if the city running the cameras allows. The data is also instantly compared to a list of active warrants and other criminal history, with alerts sent to local police departments. Data not used for a criminal investigation is deleted in 90 days, according to reporting from the Dayton Daily News."

"In Troy, police have positioned 26 Flock cameras throughout the city as a crime-fighting tool. The city of 50,000 people, known as the home to Uncle Sam, first installed the cameras in 2021 after a series of drive-by shootings. “The number one thing that folks wanted was more cameras; they wanted more of a police presence,” said Mayor Carmella Mantello."

Read at NewsNation