Ginther pauses Columbus' Flock use after more misuse
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
Public mistrust of Flock cameras now includes Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, who has paused the city's use of the AI-powered license plate reading network after yet another example of "abuse" of its technology.
Why it matters: Ginther has praised Flock's utility and tried to restrict rather than remove the use of the technology that residents loudly oppose.
- He appears to have changed his mind — for now.
The latest: At a news conference last week, Ginther announced that the city has paused its Flock use after discovering "a deeply troubling situation involving misuse of the system by an individual."
- Police chief Elaine Bryant said an investigation found that officer Melvin Tellis searched the same plates "hundreds of times" and has been "relieved of duty" pending an investigation.
What they're saying: Ginther called the discovery "completely unacceptable," and said he directed Bryant to conduct a "full audit" of the tech and how officers are using it.
- "What I have learned has shaken my trust," Ginther said. "I am angry, I am disappointed, and there must be accountability."
Context: Until the news conference, Ginther had maintained that Flock could be harnessed by law enforcement without the drawbacks pointed out by residents and skeptics.
- He's touted its use for crime solving and has made multiple efforts to establish guardrails for its use.
- "This should not be a choice between protecting civil liberties and protecting people from violent crime," he said in an Aug. 28 release.
Reality check: Misuse of the technology had been reported locally, statewide and nationally.
- Columbus' program has been wrongly used for immigration enforcement and for an officer to investigate his own crash that happened outside the city.
- A pair of Reynoldsburg officers allegedly used Flock for dozens of inappropriate searches.
- Misuse has been reported in Dayton, Highland Heights, Kettering and Shaker Heights, Ohio.
What's next: The Flock program is paused without an end date and won't gather new data while Columbus investigates Tellis' alleged misuse and audits its current and past usage.
- Before the pause, city council member Emmanuel Remy, chair of the public safety committee, said he was preparing legislation related to Flock.
- Even before last week's announcement, members of council appeared ready to end Columbus' contract.
The bottom line: Columbus' contract with Flock expires in December.