AUSTIN (KXAN) — Flock Safety, a company Austin police use to run its automatic license plate reader program, has put out a lengthy statement “setting the record straight” amid concerns about data privacy and how the technology is used.
“In the spirit of that transparency, and in response to recent reporting, I want to break down exactly how our product interface works and how we enable communities to enforce public safety as is legally and socially expected in their particular jurisdiction. But let’s start with recent clickbait-driven reporting and social media rumors that mischaracterize Flock’s LPR devices,” Garrett Langley, the founder and CEO of Flock Safety wrote.
Previous coverage of Austin’s license plate reader pilot program:
- License plate reader vote postponed amid community, council concerns
- Safety leaders question privacy of Austin license plate reader data
- APD: License plate readers helping to solve crimes
- License plate reader cameras operating in Austin under new, updated policy
Langley first addressed the notion that license plate reader technology could or has been used to track down people seeking reproductive healthcare out of state. Flock Safety pointed to an article out of Texas, which it says is “unequivocally false.”
“Following this event, Flock conducted an audit of all searches conducted on Flock LPR and found not a single credible case of law enforcement using the system to locate vulnerable women seeking healthcare,” Langley wrote.
Langley also addressed concerns that the technology could be tapped by federal agencies for immigration enforcement purposes. He pointed to several cases where local law enforcement agencies voluntarily worked with federal agencies for large operations, including one to address child sex trafficking.
“In all of these cases, local law enforcement, who are customers of Flock, chose to work with federal authorities for the safety of their communities. This was not a “back door” into Flock, as some in the media have claimed — these cases and many others represent active choices, within the boundaries of the law, made by local police to protect the people they are sworn to serve,” Langley wrote.
He continued: “In some states and jurisdictions, local law enforcement work with federal authorities to enforce immigration offenses. In other states and jurisdictions, that is illegal per state law or considered socially unacceptable. The point is: it is a local decision. Not my decision, and not Flock’s decision.”
You can read the full response from Flock Safety here.
Austin postpones license plate reader vote
Austin City Council was set to vote on whether to continue its license plate reader program — which the Austin Police Department had been piloting for a year — earlier this month. But council and community concerns forced the city manager to pull that item from the agenda.
“Given concerns expressed…I have decided to withdraw this item from the agenda at this time to provide more opportunities to address council members’ questions and do our due diligence to alleviate concerns prior to bringing this item back to City Council for consideration,” the city manager wrote.
It’s unclear when exactly the license plate reader issue will come back to city council for a vote. Council members are currently on their summer break — and will spend the next few months working through the budget.
Austin police will lose the license plate reader technology at the end of the month, as the pilot program comes to an end.
“We are in an unprecedented time of authoritarian rule at the state and federal levels, and we should not be using City of Austin resources to fund a mass surveillance tool that can be used by private companies, immigration authorities, and other outside entities,” Austin City Council Member Mike Siegel said earlier this month.
Austin Police Department leaders said they believe the department can use the technology responsibly and that it has helped the PD solve serious crimes.
“This police department is 300 officers short. Currently, we do not have enough officers to [perform] the job that we would prefer to do without the use of technology to supplement [our] work,” said Assistant Austin Police Chief Sheldon Askew.