LCSO: Flock Safety Security Update
The Lenoir County Sheriff Office welcomes Flock Safety’s continued efforts to strengthen privacy, security, accountability, and oversight surrounding Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology.
However, we want our community to know that many of the safeguards included in Flock’s latest updates are already practices we have implemented at the Lenoir County Sheriff Office.
Our office has already reduced the retention period for Flock ALPR data from 90 to 30 days. We chose the 30-day period because it allows investigators to access information when needed for serious investigations, including homicides, missing persons, kidnapped children, and other major felony investigations, while limiting the amount of historical information retained.
We also have a strict policy governing the use of our Flock system. Only supervisors and detectives are authorized to conduct searches for vehicle data. Deputies and other personnel do not have unrestricted access to perform vehicle searches.
Those authorized to conduct searches are required to provide a case number and a specific reason for each search. We are already performing audits of searches to ensure the system is being used appropriately and for legitimate law-enforcement purposes.
Our personnel are also utilizing multi-factor authentication to access the system, adding another layer of security to protect the information and prevent unauthorized access.
The Lenoir County Sheriff Office takes the responsibility of using ALPR technology seriously. Flock is a law-enforcement tool, and it is not a tool to be used for personal reasons, curiosity, or unauthorized searches. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited and subject to our department's policies and disciplinary procedures.
We also understand and recognize that the data collected through our Flock cameras belongs to the Lenoir County Sheriff office, and we retain control over that data. We have policies in place governing how the system is accessed and used.
We believe technology can be an important tool in protecting our community and solving serious crimes, but that technology must be accompanied by strong policies, accountability, oversight, and responsible use.
Our commitment has always been to use Flock technology responsibly while respecting the privacy and rights of the citizens we serve.
We will continue to review our policies and make adjustments when necessary to ensure that Flock ALPR technology is used for one purpose: protecting the citizens of Lenoir County and assisting our deputies and investigators in legitimate law-enforcement investigations.
