Shaker Heights rewrites contract with Flock
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Shaker Heights has signed an amended contract with Flock Safety that restricts access to data collected by the company's automated license plate readers and imposes stricter controls on its internal use.
Why it matters: The new contract comes after a grassroots opposition group obtained public records showing outside agencies were accessing local data for immigration-related searches.
What they're saying: "Moving forward, we are committed to keeping this valuable law enforcement tool available to the Shaker Heights Police Department," Mayor David Weiss said in a statement.
- "Flock [license plate readers] have helped Shaker police solve a number of crimes including homicide, sexual assault, and aggravated robbery. Flock also enabled our officers to recover a missing juvenile."
Zoom in: The amended contract stipulates that Flock can only disclose its data to outside agencies after a valid search warrant issued by a court. Flock is also required to notify Shaker Heights in writing before any disclosure.
- Under the contract, the city will have access to all Flock audit logs and searches. Access to Flock data by Shaker police must be linked to a specific case number.
The other side: The grassroots group Shake Off Flock said Shaker was demonstrating "remarkable naiveté" by signing the amended contract.
- It "amounts to little more than a pinkie promise," the group wrote in a statement.
- "Whatever so-called guardrails they've put in writing, Flock still owns the hardware and still has access to all the data. It still has a documented history of sharing data with ICE, using customer data to test new features without authorization, and refusing to remove cameras even after cities have cancelled contracts."
Go deeper: Last week, Cleveland City Council's Safety Committee voted against extending the city's $250,000 contract with Flock Safety.