Commissioner Bohannon recommends review of Flock Camera contract and use in Marshall County

Flock cameras are a line of public safety surveillance devices, primarily known as automated license plate readers (ALPRs), made by Flock Safety. The cameras are used by law enforcement agencies, neighborhood associations, and businesses to capture objective evidence such as license plates and vehicle characteristics to help solve and deter crime. 

Throughout Marshall County, Flock cameras are used for crime prevention and investigation by capturing vehicle license plates and other identifying details to help law enforcement and property owners solve crimes, such as vehicle theft, burglary, and missing persons cases. They function as an automated way to provide police with actionable evidence by creating a searchable database of vehicle information and alerting officers to matches with stolen vehicles on watchlists. 

During the Marshall County Commissioner meeting on Monday, Commissioner Jesse Bohannon said he continues to receive feedback from the public and has seen more news in the media with concerns about Flock Cameras.  He said many communities around the country are abandoning the systems and rejecting proposals for their use. He sees tremendous concerns when it comes to creating a surveillance network within the county, and said they are very vulnerable to hacking by local bad actors or foreign governments unfriendly to the United States, who could turn the networks into a spy apparatus. 

Commissioner Bohannon brought up a lawsuit in Oregon where the judge ruled that Flock Camera data collected is public record, and citizens could make public records requests for pictures and data. He also commented that there is a tremendous opportunity for abuse of the cameras.    

Bohannon recommended the commissioners take a second look at whether or not the county should continue with their use next year.

County Attorney Sean Surrisi has been asked to review the contracts to be sure the data collected is not being sold to third parties.

Commissioner Bohannon also said other law enforcement agencies are accessing data without permission from the home jurisdiction.