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Franklin County approves annual $4,500 service agreement to join Flock license-plate network
Summary
The Franklin County Commissioners voted to approve a $4,500-per-year service agreement to use Flock’s license-plate–reading network, which officials say has already aided local recoveries and integrates with national crime databases; commissioners approved the agreement by voice vote.
Franklin County commissioners on Oct. 8 unanimously approved a $4,500-per-year service agreement to allow the sheriff’s office and county partners to use Flock’s license-plate–reading software and shared camera network.
Chief Deputy Dan Foy told commissioners the system reads license plates and sends automated alerts when a plate that has been entered into the system — for example, a vehicle linked to a serious felony warrant, a stolen vehicle, an AMBER Alert or a threat to a courthouse employee — passes a participating camera. “It only alerts us for tags that we put in there for specific threats,” Foy said. He added the system ties to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and can notify law enforcement in other states when a flagged vehicle is detected outside the county.
Foy described local results since the county began limited use: recoveries of stolen vehicles and what he said were two missing persons located through the camera network after it went live a few months ago. He also said the county’s contribution would provide access to roughly $40,000 worth of cameras inside the county and the ability to view partner cameras elsewhere. “We were able to locate that vehicle in Florida, and that person was taken into custody within minutes of it hitting on a Flock camera in Florida,” he said.
The county’s share of the contract is $4,500 annually, Foy confirmed. Administrator Gray introduced the item and answered procedural questions about contracting. After a brief exchange, a motion to approve the agreement was moved and seconded and the commissioners voted in favor.
The action expands the sheriff’s office’s tools for locating vehicles associated with crimes or threats; commissioners did not request additional conditions or public-safety policies during the discussion. The county did not provide a written privacy policy or data-retention schedule during the meeting; Foy described only the operational uses and the NCIC interface.
The commissioners approved the agreement by voice vote and moved on to other business.
