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The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Dispatch
Ohio high school football scores for Week 6 in Columbus area

Ohio high school football scores for Week 6 in Columbus area

It's Week 6 of Ohio high school football in the Columbus area. Here are OHSAA final scores.
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Columbus Police Officer Relieved of Duty Amid Flock Technology Misuse Probe

Columbus Police Officer Relieved of Duty Amid Flock Technology Misuse Probe

The Columbus Division of Police has relieved Officer Stephen O’Brien, a veteran of 32 years with the department, from duty. This action comes as the division investigates potential misuse of Flock technology. The police stated that their ongoing review of how personnel have utilized Flock technology uncovered evidence suggesting O’Brien's possible misuse. He will remain off duty while the investigation proceeds. This development is part of a broader review by the Columbus Division of Police into the appropriate use of Flock technology by its officers.
The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Dispatch
As OSU fills Huntington Building, what is still vacant in Downtown Columbus

As OSU fills Huntington Building, what is still vacant in Downtown Columbus

Local real estate experts discuss examples of high-vacancy opportunities
The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Dispatch
Senate bill would bring more judges to Franklin County as caseload rises

Senate bill would bring more judges to Franklin County as caseload rises

New legislation aims to add two judges to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas to address a growing case backlog.
The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Dispatch
Starbucks confirms two Columbus stores will close this week

Starbucks confirms two Columbus stores will close this week

Starbucks confirmed its Easton Town Center and Short North coffeehouses will close later this week as part of a broader round of closures.
The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Dispatch
Another Columbus officer under investigation for Flock misuse

Another Columbus officer under investigation for Flock misuse

Columbus police relieved a second officer of duty amid an ongoing audit into potential misuse of license plate cameras.
The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Dispatch
Starbucks store closures include at least one confirmed Ohio location

Starbucks store closures include at least one confirmed Ohio location

Starbucks says 250 coffeehouses will close later this week. Here's the Ohio location identified so far.
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Summit County Retains Flock Cameras with New Usage Policies Amid Privacy Concerns

Summit County Retains Flock Cameras with New Usage Policies Amid Privacy Concerns

Summit County, Colorado, has decided to maintain its contract with Flock Safety for license plate reader cameras, but with significant changes to how the information will be used. This decision follows a 30-day pause for internal review and community feedback, prompted by increasing bipartisan scrutiny over privacy concerns surrounding the technology. Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons announced new policies, including limiting the number and placement of cameras, reducing image retention to seven days (down from 30), and participating only in the Colorado Statewide network for information sharing. Additionally, law enforcement users will now be required to enter a code from their records management system for each search, linking it to a specific case, with overrides for emergencies automatically flagged for review. The company, Flock Safety, will also allow customers to control which offense types outside agencies can search data for, enabling blocks on searches related to immigration enforcement.
The Columbus DispatchThe Columbus Dispatch
Ohio State has dozens of Flock cameras, including off-campus locations

Ohio State has dozens of Flock cameras, including off-campus locations

Columbus paused using Flock, but OSU's 77 Flock cameras extend off campus. A councilmember is calling on the city to stop permitting such cameras.
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Ventura Police Department to Review Flock Contract Following Thousands of Unauthorized License Plate Reader Queries

Ventura Police Department to Review Flock Contract Following Thousands of Unauthorized License Plate Reader Queries

The Ventura Police Department (VPD) is set to review its contract with Flock, a provider of automated license plate readers (ALPRs), after it was revealed that thousands of out-of-state agencies improperly queried Ventura’s camera data. Police Chief David Dickey disclosed that approximately 3,000 out-of-state agencies conducted tens of thousands of unauthorized queries over a two-month period, despite the system being configured to restrict access to California agencies. This expanded the scope of a previously acknowledged data-sharing breach from 2025, which had initially identified only two out-of-state agencies. The unauthorized querying agencies included federal entities such as the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives offices, U.S. Air Force bases, and U.S. Park Police, as well as out-of-state drug task forces. Ventura resident Michelle Rosenblum, who obtained audit logs through public records requests, brought the issue to the City Council's attent...
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U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman Proposes Federal Legislation to Restrict Government Use of Flock Surveillance Networks

U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman Proposes Federal Legislation to Restrict Government Use of Flock Surveillance Networks

U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN-3) is actively developing federal legislation aimed at limiting or eliminating the government's deployment of Flock-style surveillance networks on public roads. Stutzman argues that these automated license plate readers (ALPRs) constitute unconstitutional government surveillance due to their extensive data collection capabilities. He highlighted that over 200,000 such cameras are already in operation nationwide, capturing information such as vehicle make and model, time of passage, and potentially occupants. This initiative comes as a response to growing privacy concerns, with several Indiana cities and counties, including Fort Wayne, already opting to terminate their contracts with Flock. The debate surrounding these cameras has also reached Capitol Hill, with a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee examining private surveillance networks and hearing testimony from individuals who claim wrongful incarceration due to ALPR data.
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University of Delaware Students Protest Installation of Advanced License Plate Reader Technology on Campus

University of Delaware Students Protest Installation of Advanced License Plate Reader Technology on Campus

Students at the University of Delaware are actively protesting the installation of Advanced License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology across campus. The university, under the guidance of Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Ellen Herbst and UDPD Associate Vice President and Chief of Police Patrick Ogden, is enhancing security cameras. Initially, the project was titled 'Flock License Plate Reader Enhancements' but has since been altered to 'Advanced License Plate Reader Technology (ALPR),' with the word 'Flock' removed from public project plans. This change has occurred without official clarification from the university, leading to student concerns about transparency and the specific technologies being deployed. A student group named 'deflock,' led by sophomore public policy major Declan Rooney and sophomore wildlife ecology major Arya Keim, has gained significant social media traction, advocating against what they perceive as mass surveillance. Another student, Jacob Hindin, initiated a Cha...