US Police Departments Host Public Events on Flock License‑Plate Cameras

The Palm Springs Police Department in California will open its Real‑Time Intelligence Center to the public on August 20, offering a tour of its surveillance suite that includes Flock automated license‑plate readers. The department highlighted the technology’s role in the recent arrest of James Schadlick for a hit‑and‑run that injured an 80‑year‑old woman.

The Steamboat Springs Police Department in Colorado will hold a community Q&A on August 25 at Centennial Hall. Police Chief Mark Beckett will explain how the city’s Flock cameras capture license‑plate data, the 30‑day retention policy, monthly audits, and safeguards that limit access to authorized personnel. Officials will cite examples where the system helped resolve stolen‑vehicle cases, felony warrants, missing‑person searches and hit‑and‑run investigations.

Both events aim to address growing privacy concerns about the use of automated license‑plate recognition technology and to provide transparent information on data handling and oversight.