Florence Mayor Julie Aubuchon has directed the Florence Police Department to pause its Flock camera usage amidst resident concerns of privacy and information sharing, according to a Sept. 10 news release.
During this pause, Aubuchon said she and Boone County Sheriff Les Hill will create a joint task force made up of representatives from law enforcement agencies, legal experts, and technology experts familiar with Flock and similar systems. The release said this committee will examine this technology from both a public safety and civil liberties standpoint.
Florence is one of the many municipalities taking action in response to discourse around the heavy presence of Flock Safety’s license plate readers. Some leaders say they won’t apologize for
using the technology, some have put up transparency websites, and some have discontinued their use of the cameras altogether.
There are about 10 Flock cameras throughout Florence, according to The Enquirer's Flock map.
The city does have security cameras surveilling its 28 buildings, but Aubuchon said Florence doesn’t have partnerships with surveillance companies outside of Flock Safety.
The mayor’s plan is to deactivate the cameras as soon as possible, she said, so they don’t capture or transmit any data. Aubuchon told The Enquirer she hopes the cameras will be off by Sept. 11.
The Enquirer left a voicemail with Boone County Sheriff's Office Spokesperson Lt. Philip Ridgell to ask if the county has contracts with surveillance agencies outside of Flock but did not immediately get a response.
“Chief Jeff Mallery and the men and women of the Florence Police Department have not abused or misused the system,” Aubuchon said in the release. “They have used it professionally, responsibly, and consistent with the policies governing its use.”
The pause will remain in effect until the review is completed. At its conclusion, the release said, the task force will provide recommendations before Florence City Council decides how to move forward.
“I think it's always a responsible thing for governments to listen to citizen concerns and to err on the side of caution to proceed slowly and deliberately when there is an issue that affects a large number,” Aubuchon said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Florence pausing Flock camera usage pending review
