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Chief outlines Flock license‑plate reader rules: training, audit trail and limits on use
Summary
The police chief told council members that Flock cameras capture still images of license plates only, require officer training and a case number to search, are audited every 30 days, and were largely paid for with seized drug‑forfeiture funds, he said.
Council asked the chief to clarify how the city’s Flock automated license‑plate reader system works and to address misinformation circulating online. The chief described Flock as an automated license‑plate reader and said officers must complete training, accept a mirrored department policy, and use unique credentials that are regularly reset.
"Flock is an automated license plate reader," the chief said, adding that officers must input a case number and reason before they can upload or search imagery to create an audit trail. He said the department performs a random audit of the system every 30 days and that the system flags frequent searches for review.
The chief emphasized the limits of the data returned by Flock. "It gives you the vehicle description and the location. It does not give you address, the registered owner's name, your debit card number, social security number, anything like that," he said. He also said investigators cannot rely solely on Flock for arrests and must corroborate alerts with other evidence such as witness statements, other surveillance video, or physical evidence.
The chief addressed funding questions, stating that about 90% of the cameras were funded with seized drug money awarded by courts, money that can only be used for law‑enforcement purposes. He said the department uses the system to assist investigations — for example, to alert officers when a vehicle on a "hot list" passes a camera — and reiterated that the system produces still images of vehicle rears rather than continuous video of occupants.
No policy change or council vote was taken; the chief presented the briefing as an informational update and provided handouts to council members to illustrate what the system returns.
