BCSO ends contracts with Flock camera company so what’s next?
Flock cameras help law enforcement track stolen vehicles and help solve crimes
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —
Automated license plate readers, known as Flock cameras, have been in use in Bernalillo County since late 2023, assisting in investigations ranging from stolen vehicles to missing persons cases and violent crimes. These cameras capture license plate information and store it for a set retention period.
“If you come up in a crime and we look at the license plate or a witness gives us a license plate or even a description for the vehicle, it gives that information back to us,” Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen said.
Despite their effectiveness, Sheriff Allen announced he is ending all three contracts the county has with Flock Safety, citing concerns over data privacy.
“I’m having issues with the data privacy. There’s been, you’ve seen the stories around the nation from all over on privacy issues, people hacking. And that’s a general concern for me,” Allen said.
Some local law enforcement agencies have also canceled or suspended contracts with Flock Safety due to similar privacy concerns. Reports have surfaced of officers using the data to track romantic partners, though Allen emphasized that such misuse has not occurred in Bernalillo County. He added that the sheriff’s office conducts monthly audits of the system.
“I have an accountability sergeant. I have an accountability team. We verify what the case numbers are,” Allen said.
Allen also raised concerns about operational issues with Flock Safety, including an incident where a camera was torn down without the sheriff’s office being notified.
“Why aren’t we ever aware of that? So if you can’t tell us a camera has been cut down, that’s hardware. What do I expect for you not to get wrong on the software side, that concerns me,” Allen said.
