Flock is gone from Hamilton County, but data questions remain
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Hamilton County pulled the plug on its 75 Flock Safety license plate readers, one of several Greater Cincinnati communities to do so amid privacy concerns.
Why it matters: Shutting down the cameras doesn't settle questions about the data they've collected — or how long it'll be kept.
Driving the news: Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey ended the program Oct. 2 after a monthlong review, citing broader public concerns about unauthorized access to the footage.
- Internal audits found no misuse by sheriff's office personnel, spokesperson Kyla Woods says.
What they're saying: "I determined that there were not enough guardrails or alerts regarding unauthorized activity," McGuffey said in a statement to Axios.
Zoom in: Cameras stopped collecting data last month, but the sheriff's office still needs to get the records from Flock.
- Flock is arranging a third-party download, Woods says. Records will then be stored securely with restricted access, and Flock will delete its copies.
- There's no timeline yet for the transfer or deletion.
The fine print: Woods says anyone requesting archived Flock data must provide a date, time and law enforcement-related purpose.
- Asked how that requirement complies with public records law, Woods said it's specific to Flock because "it's a tool we only used for law enforcement purposes."
- The sheriff's office also has to follow Ohio's public records and retention rules. But the office's retention schedule doesn't specifically address license plate reader data, leaving it unclear how long the records will be kept.
What's next: Flock will remove the cameras, though there's no timeline.
- The sheriff's office doesn't plan to replace the cameras or pursue similar technology for now, Woods says.
- "I recognize that surveillance technology must meet high standards of accountability and ensure that it is used lawfully," McGuffey's statement said.