BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WOWO)— Monroe County is ending its partnership with Flock Safety, becoming the latest Indiana community to reject automated license plate reader technology over concerns about privacy and government surveillance.
The Monroe County Commissioners voted to cancel the county’s contract with Flock Safety, a move that will also lead to the removal of the cameras in the City of Bloomington after local officials concluded the technology posed broader privacy risks despite its public safety benefits.
Flock cameras automatically capture images of passing vehicles and license plates, storing the information in a searchable database that law enforcement agencies can use during criminal investigations.
County officials described the technology as a form of “mass surveillance” and said concerns over how the data could be accessed ultimately outweighed the potential investigative benefits according to Fox 59.
“I think in general, public surveillance to the extent it exists must remain under public control,” Monroe County Commissioner Jody Madeira said. “And so the local government, meaning Monroe County in this context, shouldn’t collect information it can’t confidently govern.”
Madeira said one of her primary concerns was the possibility that vehicle location data and license plate information could be accessed by outside law enforcement agencies, including federal authorities.
“Although you’re looking at public safety benefits that are local, the surveillance and the liability risks are national,” Madeira said. “And so that’s why it raises bipartisan concerns on every level.”
The debate over automated license plate readers has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum.
While Monroe County is considered one of Indiana’s more liberal communities, similar concerns have also been raised by Republican Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, who has argued the technology may violate Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches.
Despite the growing scrutiny, many law enforcement agencies continue to defend the cameras, saying they have become valuable investigative tools.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Deputy Chief Kendale Adams said the technology has helped officers solve crimes and locate missing people.
“It’s also helped us find missing people,” Adams said. “All of those things are important in our mission of addressing crime and public safety. Technology helps us get there.”
IMPD operates hundreds of Flock cameras throughout the Indianapolis area and regularly uses the system during criminal investigations.
Monroe County’s system is much smaller, consisting of just six cameras.
Madeira said county leaders are not only ending the contract but also want to ensure the equipment is physically removed.
“The cameras need to come down as well as the contracts ending, because as long as the contracts are ended, but the cameras remain up, we can’t guarantee that the cameras are not functioning,” she said.
The decision comes as other Indiana communities continue weighing whether to keep the technology.
In Fort Wayne, city leaders have repeatedly delayed a decision on whether to renew the city’s contract with Flock Safety following months of public debate and criticism from residents concerned about privacy and government surveillance.
The Monroe County vote adds to the growing statewide discussion over balancing investigative technology with individual privacy rights as local governments determine whether automated license plate readers should remain part of their public safety strategies.
