Denver City Council considers Flock's replacement
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A photo illustration with the Axon Enterprise logo. Photo: Piotr Swat/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Denver's new automated license plate reader vendor could deploy fewer cameras than its predecessor, but Mayor Mike Johnston's administration says it will come with more robust safeguards for data it gathers.
Why it matters: The proposed replacement of Flock with Axon is drawing intense scrutiny from the Denver City Council over whether the company can responsibly manage a system some argue contributes to mass surveillance.
Driving the news: Johnston's policy director Tim Hoffman and Denver Police cyber bureau commander Cliff Barnes presented a contract overview on Wednesday to a Denver City Council committee.
Yes, but: The administration did not present the draft contract itself because Hoffman said it wasn't ready for Wednesday's meeting.
- The mayor's administration requested a one-week delay before moving the measure out of committee, which council members granted.
The intrigue: It's unclear how operating fewer license plate reader cameras will impact DPD, Barnes added. The city's system will be chopped in half from 111 to 50 cameras under the new proposal.
State of play: The one-year, $150,000 contract will include multiple stipulations, including limiting searches to Denver Police and Denver Fire arson investigators.
Other key stipulations include:
- Requiring a case number and reasons for searching its database.
- A 21-day data retention limit.
- The city will own and control its own data and it won't be used to train AI models, won't use facial recognition and won't be able to sell the data it collects.
Caveat: Unlike Flock, Axon does not have a national, searchable network database, Hoffman said.
- The cameras do, however, have a livestreaming feature, which at least one council member called concerning.
Between the lines: The Axon contract doesn't require a council vote — it doesn't meet the $500,000 threshold — but the mayor sought a vote after telling the legislative body in October he would present a long-term agreement, a spokesperson tells us.
What's next: Council Member Darrell Watson requested a draft contract for City Council members by Friday.
- The contract returns to committee next Wednesday.