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Congressman Greg Steube Calls for 'BLOCK THE FLOCK' Amidst Sarasota Police Misuse of Camera Data

Congressman Greg Steube Calls for 'BLOCK THE FLOCK' Amidst Sarasota Police Misuse of Camera Data

Congressman Greg Steube, who represents Sarasota, has publicly criticized the use of Flock cameras by law enforcement following the arrest of a Sarasota police officer. Officer Cory Waiters was arrested and terminated on August 19 after an internal investigation revealed he allegedly misused law enforcement databases, including Flock camera data. Steube expressed his concerns on X, stating, 'THIS is the problem with Flock cameras!!' and advocating to 'BLOCK THE FLOCK,' arguing that giving the government the ability to track people inevitably leads to abuse. The Sarasota Police Department initiated an internal investigation on August 6 upon learning of the alleged misuse and conducted an agency-wide audit of database use, which they claim showed 'agency-wide compliance' by August 14. However, the department has not provided specific answers regarding future regular audits, past audit frequency, current safeguards, or policy changes resulting from the case. Flock, the company behind the license-plate-reading...
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Massachusetts Town Moves to Fire Officer and File Criminal Charges Over Misuse of Flock Surveillance Cameras

Massachusetts Town Moves to Fire Officer and File Criminal Charges Over Misuse of Flock Surveillance Cameras

The town of Stow, Massachusetts, is taking action to fire Officer Jason Rogers and is pursuing criminal charges against him for allegedly misusing Flock surveillance cameras. Rogers is accused of improperly accessing information about an acquaintance on at least five occasions and running vehicle information through Flock Safety and Criminal Justice Information Services without legitimate law enforcement reasons. The Stow Police Department initiated an internal affairs investigation after receiving a complaint on June 18, which sustained findings of conduct unbecoming of an officer, improper use of an official position, and violations of department policies. Rogers was placed on paid administrative leave and his access to department systems was revoked within three hours of the complaint. The case has been forwarded to the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office. In response to these concerns, the Stow Police Department has removed multiple license plate readers from the area to review public safety co...
Arizona Republic Arizona Republic
Ex-Phoenix police officer sentenced for secretly photographing teen

Ex-Phoenix police officer sentenced for secretly photographing teen

A federal judge read 113 pages of letters from 42 victims and questioned Alaa Robert Bartley’s remorse before sentencing him.
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Texas Police Officer Arrested, Another on Leave Amid Flock Camera Misuse Investigation

Texas Police Officer Arrested, Another on Leave Amid Flock Camera Misuse Investigation

An officer with the Lufkin Police Department (LPD), Zachary Anthony Klein, has been arrested and charged with abuse of official capacity and tampering with a government record. This arrest follows an investigation into his potential misuse of Flock Automated License Plate Reader technology. Klein, an 11-year veteran of the department, was booked into the Angelina County Jail. Additionally, a second officer has been placed on administrative leave as the investigation into their use of the technology continues. The LPD initiated an audit into the use of Flock cameras after becoming aware of potential issues and requested the assistance of the Texas Rangers for an independent investigation. As a result, the Lufkin Police Department has suspended the use of Flock cameras within the department.
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Ohio Grand Jury Declines to Indict Man for Destroying Flock Camera Amid Growing Public Backlash

Ohio Grand Jury Declines to Indict Man for Destroying Flock Camera Amid Growing Public Backlash

A grand jury in Clermont County, Ohio, has declined to indict Cody Morelock, a man charged with felony vandalism for allegedly destroying a Flock automatic license plate reader camera. Police in Union Township, a Cincinnati suburb, accused Morelock of disassembling the camera, its support pole, and solar panel on June 13. Investigators identified Morelock using surveillance footage from other cameras and information linked to a credit card and customer rewards account. The estimated damage was over $1,000. Morelock was released on a $10,000 bond, but the grand jury's decision resulted in the dismissal of the charges. This incident occurs amidst increasing public resistance to Flock cameras, with dozens of units being vandalized nationwide, and a loosely organized 'De-Flock America Night' event promoted on social media for Halloween.
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Lufkin Police Officer Arrested, Another on Leave Amid Flock Camera Misuse Investigation

Lufkin Police Officer Arrested, Another on Leave Amid Flock Camera Misuse Investigation

Zachary Anthony Klein, an 11-year veteran officer with the Lufkin Police Department (LPD), has been arrested by the Texas Rangers and booked into the Angelina County Jail. He faces charges of abuse of official capacity and tampering with a government record, stemming from an investigation into his potential misuse of Flock Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology. A second LPD officer has been placed on administrative leave as part of the ongoing investigation. The LPD initiated an audit into the use of the technology after becoming aware of potential issues and requested assistance from the Texas Rangers for an outside investigation. Lufkin Police Chief Travis Brazil has announced the suspension of Flock camera use within the department during the investigation.
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Utah Governor Expresses Concern Over National Reports of Flock Camera Misuse, Orders State Review

Utah Governor Expresses Concern Over National Reports of Flock Camera Misuse, Orders State Review

Utah Governor Spencer Cox has voiced deep concern regarding national reports of misuse of 'flock cameras,' which are license plate recognition devices. These cameras, designed as a crime-fighting tool for law enforcement, have recently become the subject of national debate due to allegations of officers using them for personal reasons, such as stalking ex-partners or colleagues. Governor Cox stated that he shares the public's concerns about potential privacy violations stemming from these incidents. He referenced these national reports, emphasizing that Americans should be profoundly troubled by such developments. In response, he has requested a comprehensive review of Utah's existing regulations concerning flock cameras and similar surveillance technologies.
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Senator Mark Warner Calls for Investigation into Potential Misuse of Surveillance Tools by Federal Immigration Operations

Senator Mark Warner Calls for Investigation into Potential Misuse of Surveillance Tools by Federal Immigration Operations

U.S. Senator Mark Warner, alongside Senator Tim Kaine, has urged the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general to investigate whether federal immigration operations are misusing surveillance tools. This call for examination comes in the context of local surveillance practices, specifically concerning Alexandria, Virginia's use of Flock cameras. While Alexandria's public license plate reader page now lists 161 Virginia agencies that can search its cameras, no federal agencies appear on this list. The concern raised by Senators Warner and Kaine is whether Virginia agencies might be conducting searches on behalf of federal immigration operations, thereby circumventing state laws that prohibit sharing license plate data with federal, out-of-state, private, or commercial databases. Virginia law explicitly allows sharing with other Virginia agencies only for defined purposes such as criminal investigations with reasonable suspicion, missing persons, human trafficking, outstanding warrants, and stolen v...
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City of Surprise Terminates Contract with Flock Safety Over Misuse Concerns of Automated License Plate Readers

City of Surprise Terminates Contract with Flock Safety Over Misuse Concerns of Automated License Plate Readers

The City of Surprise has announced the cancellation of its contract with Flock Safety and requested the removal of all associated equipment, following concerns over the misuse of automated license plate readers (ALPRs). This decision comes after an audit identified an anomaly in the system's use, leading to the suspension of the ALPR program. A Surprise Police Officer was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into the matter. Surprise Police Chief Evan Becher stated that the department is committed to ensuring enhanced protections are in place before potentially reimplementing ALPR cameras, emphasizing the need for strong safeguards to prevent and alert of misuse. The City of Surprise is the fourth city in the Valley to report potential misuse of its Flock Safety system in less than a week, with Chandler and Tempe also taking action regarding their ALPR systems, and Goodyear Police investigating an officer for misuse.
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Menasha Police Officer Sentenced for Misusing Flock License Plate Readers

Menasha Police Officer Sentenced for Misusing Flock License Plate Readers

Menasha police officer Cristian Morales, 32, has been sentenced to six months in jail followed by three years of probation after pleading no contest to misusing Flock license plate reader cameras. Morales conducted seven off-duty searches using Flock's nationwide network of cameras, accessing between 15,234 and 92,702 individual cameras. The AI-powered cameras continuously photograph vehicles and license plates, cataloging them in a searchable database for law enforcement. Morales used the system to track a vehicle belonging to his ex-girlfriend, who subsequently reported her suspicions to the Appleton Police Department, initiating an investigation. When confronted, Morales attributed his actions to 'desperation, and bad judgment, combined with a lack of sleep.' The victim described a 'pattern' of controlling and violent behavior by Morales, stating she continues to suffer from anxiety. Judge Mark Schroeder characterized Morales as an 'oathbreaker' who abused his authority for personal and nefarious purpos...
Arizona Republic Arizona Republic
Where are Flock cameras? Have my plates been run? Visit these sites

Where are Flock cameras? Have my plates been run? Visit these sites

These websites aim to inform the public about Flock data and its automatic license plate reader cameras.
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Stow Police Department Terminates Contract with Flock Safety Following Officer Misconduct Allegations

Stow Police Department Terminates Contract with Flock Safety Following Officer Misconduct Allegations

The Stow Police Department (SPD) has ended its relationship with Flock Safety, a provider of automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, after one of its officers, Jason Rogers, was accused of misusing the surveillance technology and other police databases. Officer Rogers was placed on unpaid leave on July 31 and faces termination proceedings and criminal charges. The allegations stem from a complaint received on June 18 from a Worcester County resident, who was known to Rogers, claiming improper access to personal information. An internal affairs investigation, lasting four weeks, found that Rogers allegedly ran vehicle information through Flock Safety multiple times for no legitimate law enforcement reason and accessed the state's criminal records database at least five times for non-law enforcement purposes, which is illegal under state law. Stow Police Chief Michael Sallese terminated the department's contract with Flock Safety as a direct result of Rogers's alleged conduct, with the last camera rem...