KING COUNTY, Wash. — A growing number of communities throughout western Washington are turning to technology to help meet their public safety needs, which includes using Flock Safety camera systems.
Mount Vernon, Sedro-Woolley, Auburn and Normandy Park have all recently signed contracts with Flock Safety to have camera systems installed. A homeowners association in Federal Way has also adopted the technology.
Normandy Park utilizes two Flock cameras along First Ave near the main entryways to the city, which were first installed last August.
“The cameras have been great alerting us to when a stolen vehicle enters the city,” said Normandy Park Police Chief Dan Yourkoski. “They have been also used to assist with investigations after the fact to verify when a vehicle entered the city or to help determine a possible suspect vehicle.”
Having a tool that provides another investigative lead is commonly cited by cities or organizations that decide to install these camera systems.
When it comes to the Flock Safety cameras, they automatically capture license plate images to compare the plate number to a database of vehicles of interest to law enforcement, such as a stolen car or a missing person. If there is a match, law enforcement officers are alerted that a vehicle of interest has been observed and what camera it just passed. Private businesses, neighborhoods, and individuals can also install these cameras.
There can be other public safety benefits as well. Flock camera systems can connect with neighboring cities to exchange information. The cameras can also identify unique characteristics of the vehicle, such as a bumper sticker.
Flock Safety said to safeguard privacy concerns, cameras focus on the vehicle, not the driver or passengers. However, how long the data is maintained and who has access to it often cause concerns. There are also issues with how the data is used in criminal investigations.
Many cities have adopted rules to minimize privacy concerns among the public, and more than 5,000 communities now use Flock systems, according to the company’s website.
