Virginia localities rethink Flock camera use

(The Center Square) – Virginia localities are reconsidering automated license plate readers as communities weigh their crime-fighting benefits against concerns over privacy, data sharing and compliance with a new state law. Lynchburg last week temporarily shut off all 15 of its fixed Flock Safety cameras while the Police Department and city staff arrange an independent review of policies, procedures, training and operational practices. Police said the pause followed community feedback and was not prompted by identified misuse. The department said the cameras have helped recover stolen vehicles, locate missing and endangered people, apprehend violent offenders and assist criminal investigations. "The decision to temporarily pause the fixed cameras reflects the Department's willingness to listen to feedback from our community and maintain public trust. It is not the result of any identified misuse," the Lynchburg Police Department said in its announcement. Lynchburg's decision follows action elsewhere in Virginia. Harrisonburg voted in July to terminate its contract with Flock Safety and stop using the company's fixed automatic license plate readers. Charlottesville and Staunton had already moved to end their use of ALPR systems, according to a January report from the Virginia State Crime Commission. The debate comes about a year after statewide standards governing law enforcement use of automatic license plate recognition technology took effect July 1, 2025. The Crime Commission surveyed all 361 Virginia law enforcement agencies after the law took effect. Of the 251 that responded, 159 reported using ALPR technology. Flock Safety was the most common vendor, used by 137, or 86%, of those agencies. The commission found some agencies were not using ALPR technology in line with the new law. Twenty-six agencies using ALPR reported they did not have a policy governing its use, while 14 said they were still implementing one. The commission also found 20 agencies reported giving law enforcement agencies in other states continuous access to their ALPR data, while nine reported continuous access by federal agencies. The report said Virginia law does not allow agencies to share ALPR data with out-of-state or federal law enforcement agencies. Richmond has since reported an example of improper sharing caught through an internal audit. The Richmond Police Department said a sergeant searched for and shared an ALPR image with an FBI agent investigating a Washington, D.C., homicide. Police said the action violated department policy and reported the incident to Virginia State Police. The Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney declined prosecution, and the sergeant's authorization to access ALPR data was later deactivated. Richmond reported no violations during its second-quarter audit. The department says it currently uses 99 fixed Flock cameras. Richmond also says Flock has configured its Virginia system to retain data for no more than 21 days. The technology is also being challenged in federal court. Two residents are appealing a January ruling in favor of Norfolk over its network of Flock cameras. The plaintiffs contend the system allows police to track drivers' movements without a warrant. U.S. District Judge Mark Davis found Norfolk's current system did not amount to a Fourth Amendment search based on the evidence presented. Lynchburg has not announced how long its independent review will take. The police department did not respond to a request for additional information.