Amid growing public scrutiny over automated license plate readers, Scottsdale is launching an independent audit of its program and drafting new rules to govern the Police Department's use of the technology.
In a nine-page memo to Scottsdale leaders on Aug. 27, City Manager Greg Caton outlined a handful of steps the city is taking that he believes will improve accountability and oversight of the Flock Safety cameras, which are meant to assist criminal investigations.
“The city’s position is not that technology should be trusted without safeguards,” Caton wrote. “It is that effective technology and strong civil-liberty protections are not mutually exclusive. Scottsdale can, and should, pursue both.”
The list of actions includes an independent review
of the automated license plate reader program by the city auditor, new penalties for those found misusing the system, the development of a webpage for the public to review the city’s policies, and a review of alternative vendors.
Scottsdale’s evaluation of the program comes as other metro Phoenix cities grapple with how to use the cameras following reports of potential misuse of the technology by police departments.
Chandler, Apache Junction, Goodyear and Surprise reported potential misuses of the Flock Safety automated license plate reader technology in the last few weeks.
In Chandler and Apache Junction, the misuse was due to police officers' actions. In Surprise, a technical error was flagged as misuse. Goodyear's criminal investigation was ongoing.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced on Aug. 28 that her office has launched an investigation into automated license plate reader cameras used across the state. She joined South Dakota's attorney general as one of the first attorneys general nationwide to do so.
This is a developing story.
Republic Reporter Lauren De Young contributed to this story.
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Shawn Raymundo covers Scottsdale and Maricopa County. Reach him at sraymundo@gannett.com or follow him on X @ShawnzyTsunami.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Scottsdale to keep Flock but orders independent review, safeguards
