The Lynchburg Police Department announced Wednesday that it is temporarily pausing the operation of its 15 fixed Flock automatic license plate readers.
The decision “reflects the department’s willingness to listen to feedback from our community and maintain public trust” and is not because of any identified misuse of the cameras, the police department said in a news release.
The cameras have been used to help recover stolen vehicles, locate missing and endangered people, apprehend violent offenders and assist in a number of criminal investigations, the release states.
The cameras have been effective in quickly solving cases and enhancing officer safety while supporting partnerships with local and regional law enforcement agencies, the department said in the release.
“Everyone in our community has a right to feel safe,” Police Chief Ken Edwards said in the release. “This pause is intended to strengthen public confidence while continuing to advocate for modern technology and policing practices that reduce criminal activity and maintain the trust and support of our community.”
The department will work with city staff to conduct an independent and objective third-party review of its policy, procedure, training and operational practices related to ALPR technology, the release states.
As the use of Flock cameras has spread across Virginia, so has community opposition to the surveillance technology. The Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism reported last week that localities including Staunton, Charlottesville and Harrisonburg have ended their contracts with Flock, and anti-Flock protests have been held in numerous other communities.
Last month, the city of Roanoke ended its use of Flock’s Raven gunshot detection devices after discovering that multiple devices had been installed in unapproved locations. As of early July, the city also had 26 Flock license plate readers and one live video camera.
