The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office has ended its contract with Flock and deactivated 10 automated license plate reader cameras in rural Josephine County, bringing the program to an immediate close following months of public concern, vandalism involving some of the equipment and questions raised locally about privacy and Fourth Amendment rights.
Sheriff Dave Daniel announced the cancellation Wednesday, August 12, saying he had requested that Josephine County Legal Counsel send Flock a “contract termination for convenience” letter. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the automated license plate readers, commonly known as ALPRs, are no longer activated, and the agency’s contract with the company has ended. Some Flock equipment remains in the field, but the Sheriff’s Office said it is not being used and that there is currently no known date for its removal.
The Sheriff’s Office originally entered into the contract for 10 cameras as an additional investigative and public-safety tool. The equipment was intended to increase the agency’s ability to identify and locate stolen vehicles, find wanted or missing people associated with particular vehicles and assist deputies and investigators when vehicle information could be used in connection with a criminal investigation.
Daniel said the technology provided benefits while it was in operation, specifically citing its usefulness in solving crimes and supporting overall public safety. The decision to terminate the contract was not attributed to a finding that the equipment was ineffective. Instead, the Sheriff’s Office pointed to continuing public opposition, constitutional concerns raised about the technology and incidents involving damage to some of the equipment.
“There has been a great deal of public concern over this technology and its potential infringement of Constitutional 4th Amendment rights,” Daniel said.
The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. Daniel’s announcement did not state that Josephine County’s use of the cameras had been determined to violate the Fourth Amendment, nor did the Sheriff’s Office announce a court ruling finding its use of the system unconstitutional. The agency instead identified the potential infringement of Fourth Amendment rights as one of the concerns raised by members of the public.
The Sheriff’s Office also reported that some of the equipment and technology had been targeted and vandalized during recent months. The announcement did not specify how many cameras were damaged, where the incidents occurred, the extent of the damage or whether anyone had been arrested or charged in connection with the vandalism.
Daniel said the issues encountered in Josephine County have also occurred in other parts of the United States, where Flock equipment has been the subject of theft, damage and public concern. According to the sheriff’s announcement, those circumstances have resulted in numerous jurisdictions canceling contracts with the company.
For the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, the combination of public concern and the continuing controversy surrounding the cameras resulted in the decision to discontinue the program despite what Daniel described as its usefulness to law enforcement.
“While the technology has been beneficial in solving crime and overall public safety, it is clear much of Josephine County is not ready or willing to accept the use of ALPR technology,” Daniel said. “We at the Sheriff’s Office work for the public and we are listening to you.”
The cancellation changes the investigative resources available to deputies in rural Josephine County by removing the 10 Flock cameras from active service. The Sheriff’s Office did not announce plans Wednesday to replace the cameras with another automated license plate reader system, nor did it indicate that the Flock program would be reconsidered at a later date.
The announcement also did not provide financial details surrounding the cancellation, including the original cost of the contract, how much had already been paid, whether additional termination expenses could apply or whether the county would receive any reimbursement following the early end of the agreement. The Sheriff’s Office stated only that legal counsel had been asked to issue the termination-for-convenience letter and that the contract had ended.
Residents may continue to see some of the equipment along rural roads until Flock removes it. The Sheriff’s Office emphasized that the remaining cameras are not active and are no longer being used by the agency. No timetable for their physical removal was available when the cancellation was announced.
The decision brings a definitive change to a program that was established to strengthen the Sheriff’s Office’s ability to locate vehicles and people connected with law enforcement investigations. Daniel’s announcement recognizes both sides of the agency’s experience with the equipment: the Sheriff’s Office found the technology useful for crime-solving and public safety purposes, while public concern over its use continued to grow.
With the contract now terminated, the immediate status of the program is clear. The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office is no longer using Flock automated license plate readers in rural Josephine County, all 10 cameras covered by the program have been deactivated, and the remaining equipment will stay out of service while arrangements for its removal are determined.