Crystal drops Flock cams after community concerns
Shakopee defends Flock cameras amid backlash
Shakopee city leaders are discussing the city's use of Flock automated license plate readers amid growing pushback against the technology. The city says Shakopee police use seven Flock cameras, five of which are operational, and says the technology has helped in multiple felony cases.
CRYSTAL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Crystal Police Department announced Wednesday that it is ending its use of Flock Safety automated license plate readers entirely, following concerns raised by community members.
Crystal dropping Flock
What we know:
Police Chief Brian Hubbard said the move came after questions and feedback from residents, including concerns raised at a recent community information meeting.
The backstory:
The department had six Flock Safety automated license plate readers in Crystal. All six have been physically removed and are in the process of being returned to Flock Safety. The department has also ended all existing data sharing with other agencies for the remainder of its current data-retention period.
Community concerns driving the move
What they're saying:
Hubbard said residents raised several issues with the technology, including privacy, data collection and sharing, state laws governing how the technology can be used and the potential for misuse.
"While some have called for a ‘pause’ of our use of Flock ALPRs, we have determined the best path forward for our community is to completely end our involvement in its entirety," wrote Hubbard.
The other side:
The department did say that the license plate reader system had been useful for solving crimes, recovering property and making arrests. But, officials ultimately decided the community concern outweighed the usefulness of the readers.
The Source: A Crystal PD news release on Wednesday.