The City of Winston has ended its contract with Flock, the automated license plate reader company, amid privacy concerns and law enforcement budget cuts.
The Winston Police Department operated eight roadside Flock cameras, which record images of passing cars, at a cost of $24,000 per year.
FILE — An undated photo of a flock camera in Eugene.
Nathan Wilk / KLCC
At Monday’s City Council meeting, Winston Police Chief Brandon Sarti said the technology has helped his understaffed department solve crime.
“They’re a great tool,” he said. “We’ve solved huge cases.”
Sarti said the cameras have helped solve a homicide case. But he said ending the contract was a clear choice after the city directed his department to cut more than $215,000.
“There is a national outcry,” he said. “The citizens are the ones paying the bill. And if they don’t want them, we’re going to turn them off.”
Critics say the technology can be used to surveil innocent drivers. Some have expressed concern that immigration authorities could retrieve the data, violating the state’s sanctuary status.
Sarti said federal authorities did not have access to the city’s Flock system.
Ending the contract will save the police department $24,000. The remaining cuts come from a lieutenant’s retirement.
Winston is the first city in Douglas County to stop using Flock cameras, but other governments around the region are evaluating their contracts.
The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office recently ended its use of Flock, citing residents’ concerns and vandalism of the cameras. Last year, Talent City Council suspended its contract over concerns that federal authorities could access stored data. And the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office decided to not move forward with its Flock program after identifying privacy issues.
Oregon passed a law this year that bans authorities from keeping Flock data for more than 30 days unless the information is needed for an investigation.
Justin Higginbottom is a reporter with Jefferson Public Radio. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page.
