Crystal Police Department in Minnesota is ending its use of Flock Safety automated number-plate readers after residents raised concerns about privacy, data sharing and the potential misuse of the technology.
Police Chief Brian Hubbard announced the decision on Wednesday, September 9, saying the force had chosen to withdraw from the scheme completely rather than impose a temporary pause.
The department had six Flock cameras operating in Crystal. All have now been removed and are being returned to the company, while data-sharing arrangements with other agencies have been stopped for the remainder of the current retention period.
Crystal ends Flock camera use after residents’ concerns
Hubbard said questions from residents, including those raised during a community information meeting on September 2, had prompted the review. Concerns focused on how information was collected, stored and shared, as well as the laws governing automated licence-plate readers in Minnesota.
“While some have called for a ‘pause’ of our use of Flock ALPRs, we have determined the best path forward for our community is to completely end our involvement in its entirety,” Hubbard wrote.
Flock’s system photographs passing vehicles and records number plates and other identifying features, allowing police to search for vehicles linked to investigations. Crystal police said the technology had helped with criminal cases, the recovery of property and arrests.
Despite those benefits, the department said community concerns ultimately outweighed the system’s usefulness. Officials also cited the risk of misuse as part of the decision to remove the cameras.
The move comes amid wider debate in Minnesota and across the United States over automated number-plate readers, with critics questioning the scale of the data collected and the extent to which it can be accessed or shared between law-enforcement agencies.
