FAIRBORN — Flock license plate reader cameras are raising growing privacy concerns across Ohio, leading gubernatorial candidates to call for new safeguards.
At the same time, police departments in the Miami Valley are investigating several recent incidents of camera vandalism.
Flock cameras are currently deployed in more than 6,000 communities across every U.S. state except Alaska.
Despite their widespread adoption, privacy concerns and reports of misuse have prompted some local governments to take action, including the city of Dayton, which removed its Flock cameras earlier this year.
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In Riverside, a camera mounted in military housing was ripped from its pole and left dangling by its wires. Approximately 10 minutes away on Kauffmann Road, another camera was painted over with the words “No Flock” written on the pole.
Fairborn police officers are currently investigating the vandalism incidents.
Riverside resident David Lutzweit expressed disapproval regarding the property damage. “I just think that’s a bad way to show you don’t like something,” Lutzweit said.
He emphasized that citizens should address grievances through official channels rather than destruction. “If you don’t like something, go to a council meeting, speak to your leaders, do that,” Lutzweit said. “But vandalizing it is not the answer. It’s just a bad thing to do. It’s a crime.”
Lutzweit added that he supports local law enforcement using license plate reader technology to assist in investigations. “I think it’s a big thing for the Police Department to have them,” Lutzweit said.
“They solved a lot of crimes, and any tool they can get to help them is nothing but a good thing.”
During a law enforcement symposium in Dayton on Monday, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson highlighted a case in Miami County where the camera system helped authorities locate and save a suicidal man.
However, issues regarding system misuse have also surfaced in the region. A Dayton police officer resigned after an internal investigation found he failed to follow department standards while managing the system.
Flock officially condemns the vandalism. A spokesperson for the company stated that damaging the cameras ultimately harms the communities the technology is designed to protect.
Damaging public safety equipment is illegal and puts communities at risk, which is why we strongly condemn this type of behavior. When a camera is taken offline, an investigative lead can disappear, and a time-sensitive alert tied to an AMBER Alert, a missing person case, or a violent crime suspect on the move may never reach the officers who need it. We work directly with law enforcement to investigate damaged or stolen cameras. Damaging public safety equipment ultimately hurts the very communities this technology is there to help protect.
— Flock Spokesperson
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