Flock on why public safety in Cleveland isn't a zero-sum game

Cleveland officials are revisiting their public safety technology, including automated license plate readers (LPRs), amid nationwide public debates about access, safety, equity and transparency.

Why it's important: Flock, a company that produces LPR technology, believes public safety isn't a zero-sum game.

• Clear rules, oversight and transparency can help cities like Cleveland use public safety technology while protecting privacy and civil liberties.

The story: This year, Cleveland's City Council is considering renewing the city's LPR program while balancing residents' concerns.

• Flock says supporters point to the technology's role in helping investigators identify stolen vehicles, locate suspects and generate leads in serious criminal cases.
• Critics have raised concerns about data sharing, immigration-related searches and government surveillance.

What you need to know: The company believes the question should not be whether communities can use investigative tools. It should be how those tools are governed.

Flock Safety says its technology includes multiple trust and safety protections, including:

• Default 30-day data retention limits.
• Audit logs that cannot be edited.
• Role-based access controls for law enforcement users.
• Searches are always tied to ongoing investigations and specified with an offense type.
• Search filters to automatically block prohibited use cases.
• Transparency portals and audit assistance tools.

How it's done: Unlike regular security cameras, which record video to capture context, Flock's LPR systems only capture still images to produce the clearest license plate results.

• Flock says its LPRs can capture license plates on vehicles moving up to 100 mph and as far as 75 feet away.

• The system can also categorize vehicles based on make, model, color, damage and alterations.

The impact: The company estimates its technology supports investigations nationwide and helps solve more than 700,000 crimes annually.

What this means: As Cleveland considers whether it should renew its automated LPR program with Flock, the city has an opportunity to model a responsible framework for advanced technology to improve public safety and trust.

• Tech advancements that combine proven security with strong and clear privacy protections may prove to be the city's path forward.

See how modern LPR technology supports safer communities.

This content was produced by Axios Creative House in partnership with Flock Safety and was not created by Axios newsroom staff.