Flock Safety Pushes for License Plate Readers After Contract Termination

UPDATE: Flock Safety is urgently seeking a resolution after the Town of Hillsborough, North Carolina terminated its contract for ten license plate readers earlier this week due to data privacy concerns. This decision has prompted immediate backlash from the company, which claims the town’s understanding of the contract is fundamentally flawed.

The controversy erupted on July 2023 when Mayor Mark Bell announced the cancellation, highlighting that Flock’s contract allowed the company to retain control over data, potentially sharing it with third parties. “Flock retains the right to all the data and can share it to third parties and government agencies in very vague language,” Bell stated. “That made us realize the system was going to be used by other entities other than the Town of Hillsborough. That is absolutely not what we had signed up for.”

In response, Flock Safety has requested an urgent meeting with Hillsborough leaders to directly address these data use concerns. Chief Legal Officer Dan Haley emphasized that the town is misinterpreting the contract. “The publicly stated reasons for Hillsborough’s action are entirely based in misconceptions about our technology,” Haley asserted.

Haley outlined that even when faced with legal requests for data, Flock’s policy is to consult with their clients first, unless specifically prohibited by a court order. “The agencies who use Flock control access to their data, period, full stop,” he added. “They are able to see and control who outside of their communities request access to their data and they’re able to either approve that access or decline to approve that access.”

As the situation develops, the Town of Hillsborough is still assessing its legal strategy regarding the contract termination. Officials have not disclosed next steps, but the town attorney is actively working on the matter. Bell mentioned that the installation costs and two years of operation for the cameras exceed $81,000, raising concerns that the town may not recover this investment.

Flock Safety remains hopeful for a productive dialogue. “We have a high degree of confidence that when given the opportunity to speak with our partners in Hillsborough, we will resolve their concerns and be able to move forward productively to make the residents of Hillsborough safer,” said Haley.

Residents and local law enforcement await further developments as Flock advocates for the implementation of the cameras, which were intended exclusively for police use to identify vehicles linked to serious crimes. The outcome of this dispute could significantly impact both public safety measures and data privacy protocols in Hillsborough.

Stay tuned as we continue to follow this urgent story and provide updates on the resolution between Flock Safety and Hillsborough officials.