While commuting in Bryan/College Station, you may have noticed an increased number of cameras watching the roadways. These small black cameras, typically attached to a solar panel, are made by Flock Security and have become popular law enforcement tools for their ability to aid in crime prevention and solving. At the time of writing this, the majority of cameras are in Bryan, but CSPD has stated that they plan on increasing the number of these cameras in College Station as well. In this blog post, we'll talk about what exactly these cameras are, how data captured by them is used, and address some concerns you may have regarding these cameras.
What is Flock Safety and How Are Flock Cameras Used?
Flock Safety is a security company that, according to their website, provides “safety solutions to Law Enforcement, neighborhoods, and businesses.” While Flock has a number of different products available to purchase, the ones most commonly used are their License Plate Readers (LPR), which are widely used by law enforcement agencies such as CSPD, and video cameras. The LPR cameras are used by law enforcement to capture images of vehicle license plates and any additional identifying vehicle features, such as a toolbox or dent on the vehicle, to aid in investigations. Flock’s video cameras, on the other hand, are often used by businesses (e.g., Home Depot and Lowe’s) and residential areas to capture visual data in order to help prevent crimes and aid in investigations.
How is Data Captured by Flock Cameras Used and Secured?
According to Flock's website, and corroborated by CSPD, data captured by Flock cameras is only available to the law enforcement agencies and businesses that purchased the cameras and related software. The data is not shared with Flock Security, and all data is deleted after a set time period, typically 30 days, if it has not been used. Additionally, private businesses do not automatically share any data captured by their cameras, and any business that wishes to share data with law enforcement must intentionally do so. Finally, with regard to LPRs, users must document each search with a specific reason as to why they are searching for a vehicle. This documentation is then logged by the agency, with officials being notified by Flock if misuse/abuse of data is suspected.
Data security is extremely important in today's age, and while we believe that Flock Security and our local law enforcement are collecting and using captured data securely and responsibly, we understand that concerns may still remain. If you have any concerns regarding the use or expansion of Flock cameras, we recommend reaching out to College Station or Bryan Police Departments to find out more about how they are using these cameras and to voice your concerns. And as always, please feel free to reach out to us at (855) 524-2976 or contact us online if you have questions or concerns.