Colorado lawmakers want limits on surveillance tech like Flock
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Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
Back in September, Chrisanna Elser opened her door to find a Columbine Valley police officer.
The intrigue: The officer told her that he used doorbell camera video and the Flock vehicle tracking system to identify her as the suspect who allegedly stole a $25 package from a porch.
Yes, but: She didn't do it, and the charges were later dropped.
Why it matters: Elser recounted her story to Colorado lawmakers on Monday and urged them to limit law enforcement's use of video surveillance technology so that what happened to her wouldn't happen to others.
What she's saying: "I'm not opposed to using these items for our law enforcement," she told reporters ahead of the legislative hearing. "But I am opposed [to] them being used and being misused."
State of play: Her story helped build support for a bipartisan Senate bill that would establish statewide guardrails for how law enforcement can use location-based surveillance systems.
- The legislation — "Protecting Everyone from Excessive Police Surveillance (PEEPS) Act" — would prohibit government officials from accessing the database in most cases unless they obtain a warrant.
- Another provision would block government officials from sharing surveillance information with private companies or outside entities, such as federal immigration authorities, without a valid court order.
- Other provisions limit the time a government entity can retain the data.
Between the lines: State Sen. Judy Amabile, who represents liberal Boulder County, teamed with Sen. Lynda Zamora Wilson, who represents conservative El Paso County, to develop the legislation.
- Though the legislation doesn't prohibit the use of surveillance systems, such as license plate readers, Amabile said it's needed to help "people in Colorado to feel safe in their movements around their community, and to not feel like we are having mass surveillance."
The other side: The primary opposition is coming from law enforcement leaders across the state, who say the surveillance tools are critical for maintaining public safety, and limits on the length of time the data is retained are unrealistic for conducting investigations.
- "This is not a dragnet — it's a review mirror narrowly focusing on one vehicle," Durango Police Chief Brice Current told lawmakers about systems like Flock.
What's next: Despite the opposition, the legislation won approval in the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 5-2 vote.
- It must clear one more committee before it moves to the full Senate.