Ohio State University renews $378,000 license‑plate camera contract with Flock Safety

Ohio State University has extended its agreement with surveillance‑camera firm Flock Safety for another two years, beginning July 1. The contract, valued at $378,000 in total, represents a 20% annual increase – an additional $31,500 per year – over the previous deal and is the university’s third and most expensive arrangement with the company. The campus network now includes 63 AI‑powered license‑plate reader cameras installed around Columbus.

University officials say the system aids crime prevention, citing arrests and recovered property linked to camera alerts, though they offered no detailed data. Privacy advocates have raised concerns that the collected data could be accessed for federal deportation efforts. Across its three agreements with Flock Safety, Ohio State will spend more than $1 million through 2028, and other colleges across Ohio and the United States have similarly partnered with the firm.