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CRB audit says Eugene cameras were searchable nationwide; commission weighs AI tools and updates to tech policy
Summary
A Civilian Review Board audit found outside agencies could run nationwide searches that included Eugene’s Flock cameras; commissioners and the police chief debated AI-assisted review of body-worn video and agreed to review Policy 1206 on emerging technology.
The Eugene Police Commission on Wednesday heard a summary of a Civilian Review Board (CRB) audit that found Flock automated license-plate camera data could be accessed through nationwide searches by outside agencies, raising community concerns about immigration enforcement and reproductive-health surveillance.
The CRB’s review, presented to the commission, said that while the Eugene Police Department (EPD) “managed their role in alignment with community expectations,” Flock’s national search feature allowed outside agencies to query vehicle data from cameras nationwide, not only Eugene cameras. The report notes that Eugene removed its cameras from national search access in summer 2025 and powered the cameras off entirely in fall 2025; a small number of recordings after the shutdown were attributed to vendor processes and were addressed by EPD.
Why it matters: Commissioners and staff said the audit highlights gaps between how technology is implemented and the public’s expectations. The commission agreed reviewing Policy 1206 (emerging-technology considerations), last updated in 2015, would be a useful next step.
Chief Mike Skinner told commissioners that the volume of recorded footage makes full human review impractical: “the volume of body cam video that we collect in the last calendar year was about 20,000 hours or 37 terabytes of information,” he said, and that the department is exploring AI tools to triage footage with human quality control. Skinner said any AI pilot would require human review of AI “hits” to avoid false positives and to protect due process.
Several commissioners cautioned against overreliance on automated tools. Vice Chair Bradley said he was skeptical that current AI could distinguish context and intent, telling the commission, “I don't have any confidence whatsoever in AI.” Commissioners raised concerns that keyword-driven AI flags could amplify talk rather than reveal problematic conduct on the street, and that policy and collective-bargaining constraints limit immediate disciplinary options.
Independent Police Auditor Craig Renitzki also addressed oversight and intake processes, describing the auditor’s office role in reviewing use-of-force incidents and pursuits, conducting preliminary investigations, and monitoring internal affairs work. Renitzki noted complaint volume has increased and said the auditor’s office and CRB provide an added layer of review that the public can use to hold the department accountable.
Next steps: Commissioners signaled they will place Policy 1206 on a future workplan for review and asked staff to return with options for community-engaged policy updates and recommended safeguards for any AI pilot.
