Latest news with #FlockCameras
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
CF Chief Douglas seeks funding for street cameras
CHIPPEWA FALLS — The city of Chippewa Falls is once again looking at purchasing street cameras that can read license plates that are credited with solving a myriad of crimes, from locating stolen cars to halting kidnappings. Chippewa Falls Police Chief Ryan Douglas has requested the city purchase several new 'Flock' cameras that can record license plates as vehicles go through the city. 'There are no Flock cameras installed in Chippewa County right now,' Douglas told the city's public safety committee. 'It's a camera that faces the road and takes pictures of the road.' Former Police Chief Matt Kelm requested the city purchase the Flock cameras two years ago, but it didn't pass at that time. The Flock cameras 'are somewhat unique in that they not only detect a license plate number, but the software can also detect type of vehicle, color, unique characteristics, etc.,' Kelm wrote in his fall 2023 budget request. 'Vehicles entered into a wanted list, based upon their involvement in reported criminal acts, that are detected by the (cameras) will cause a real-time alert to be sent to officers that a vehicle for which law enforcement is looking for drove by one of the cameras within the city.' Roughly 5,000 communities in 42 states are using the Flock cameras, the company states on its website. Douglas said he is hopeful of getting six to 10 of the cameras that would be placed along major transportation corridors in city limits. 'We would be connected to this nationwide system,' he told the committee. 'The technology has been there for several years. I do think we are behind the curve in not having this technology in our area.' Douglas said Rice Lake, Menomonie and Eau Claire all have these cameras. Flock cameras have been credited with the arrest of Jose E. Dominguez-Garcia, who killed his pregnant ex-girlfriend and left her body in a suitcase in the town of Wheaton in July 2020. Dominguez-Garcia was arrested in a suburb of Kansas City, Mo., in November 2023 after a Flock camera recognized he was driving a stolen vehicle. Dominguez-Garcia was sentenced last month to serve 25 years in prison. That arrest took place months after Kelm had requested the city obtain the cameras. 'It goes into a nationwide database,' he said. 'We've had crimes and missing persons located out of state.' The council members on the committee asked Douglas to set up a meeting with the Flock sales team so they can learn more about how the equipment works, but also to ask questions about how privacy matters are handled. 'I'm torn because I hate the idea of living in '1984,'' said Councilwoman Heather Martell. 'But if they are nationwide, how would we handle The Freedom of Information Act?' Douglas said they are still working on creating a policy for sharing data collected by the cameras. Mayor Jason Hiess said he also is concerned about privacy. Councilman Scott Sullivan said his vehicle was stolen when he lived in Colorado Springs, Colo., and he quickly reported it. Because that city had Flock cameras, the car was located within an hour and was returned to Sullivan. Douglas said he will contact Flock officials and have them come to a future committee meeting to discuss the proposal. Preparing for the fair With the Northern Wisconsin State Fair now just a month away, Douglas said his department has ramped up plans for added security. Douglas said they have increased from having two officers at the fair to six. Also, the fair has its own private security on the grounds. 'We're able to staff it by ourselves right now,' Douglas said. It is common for officers at the fairgrounds to use bicycles, allowing them to get quickly across the fair. Douglas said they did have an officer injured at the fairgrounds last year.
Daily Mail
30-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Texas cops use dystopian surveillance method to track down woman trying to leave state for abortion
A dystopian scene unraveled in Texas when police officers were caught using software for a nationwide license plate reader to track a woman who had a self-administered abortion in a state where the procedure is legal. The officer was employed with the Johnson County Sheriff's Office in Cleburne, a suburb outside of Fort Worth, where abortion is banned except in cases of a fatal medical emergency. On May 9, the officer used Flock cameras, which have license plate reading technology, to search for the unidentified woman. Police don't need a warrant to search surveillance footage if it's an emergency, and can also typically access footage from cameras in public spaces. An officer with the sheriff's office reportedly searched Flock cameras and gave the reason as, 'had an abortion, search for female,' according to sets of data reviewed by 404 Media. The data revealed that the office searched cameras nationwide, combing through 83,000 license plate readers to look for the woman. Johnson County Sheriff Adam King told the publication that authorities were searching for the woman because, 'her family was worried that she was going to bleed to death, and we were trying to find her to get her to a hospital.' 'We weren't trying to block her from leaving the state or whatever to get an abortion. It was about her safety.' King told 404 Media that the department got a few 'hits' when they searched for the woman's license plate in Dallas, but that Flock camera footage didn't ultimately lead to authorities locating the woman. Two days after the department located her plate in Dallas, they made contact with her and verified that she was okay. The sheriff added that they performed a nationwide search instead of limiting it to their jurisdiction to ensure, 'we're hitting everything, every possibility.' Flock told 404 Media that the company provides technology that individuals can leverage 'in a way that reflects their values.' 'We support democratically-authorized governing bodies to determine what that means for their community,' the statement continued. 'Flock does not decide which criminal codes to enforce in Texas or Washington. We rely on the democratic process. And in this case, it appears Flock was used to try to locate a vulnerable person who may have been a danger to herself.' Since Roe V. Wade was overturned in 2022, abortion rights returned to the states, with many outlawing the practice entirely. In Texas, almost all abortions are prohibited, and there are civil and criminal penalties for those who have them or medical practitioners who perform them. The only exception to the law is if the health of the patient is at risk. Texas doesn't allow exceptions for rape or incest like other states. The Justice Department decided in November 2023 that the Constitution protects interstate travel to receive an abortion. Abortion rights activists and advocates against surveillance have previously expressed concern that police could use advanced technology to locate those who have had abortions while living in states where it's illegal. 'Lawmakers will likely pressure police and prosecutors to use all of the tracking tools they have to target health providers, pregnant people, and anyone helping them to access care,' the Stop Surveillance Technology Oversight Project said before Roe V. Wade was overturned. 'And with all mass surveillance, there will be countless bystanders targeted, too, those who will be jailed because of miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, and inaccurate data.' Most states don't criminally prosecute individuals who have had or assisted with abortions. However, a study conducted by Pregnancy Justice revealed that there were at least 210 pregnancy-related prosecutions from June 24, 2022, to June 23, 2023. Nearly half of those prosecutions occurred in Alabama, about a third in Oklahoma, and only six in Texas. Most of the prosecutions were related to alleged child abuse, while five concerned allegations of abortion. Those who were prosecuted for abortion related instances faced charges ranging from homicide to child neglect.
CBS News
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Car thefts down 36% in Colorado county, suspect arrests more than doubled
The number of car thefts have dropped significantly in Arapahoe County. From 2023 to 2024, Arapahoe County car thefts dropped 36%, and arrests for car theft suspects have more than doubled. The Special Response Team with the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office formed back in 2021, and the team responds to high-risk calls for service such as auto thefts. While the numbers are trending down for these types of crimes, they give credit to their own training and increased use of technology like Flock cameras. CBS The SRT is made up of eight SWAT members with a high level of training and experience all working together to respond to a variety of calls. They also have access to more resources than patrol deputies. "We've kind of started to be able to perfect our tactics and the way that we plan these out, so it's a safer outcome for everybody," said Deputy Matt Foster with the SRT. "It's just something we're good at," Sgt. Nick Rodriguez said. "If we happen to come across a stolen car, we're very well trained in recovering that car with very minimal damage and very minimal use of force against the suspect." The two say they use technology like Flock cameras, which are license plate readers that can help track stolen vehicles. "They give us patterns on where they're traveling, so as soon as a stolen car flies by a flock camera, it alerts us in a system," Rodriguez said. "We just try to saturate the area as much as we can and see if we can locate stolen cars," Foster said. "Then, from there, we use tactics and other planning to make sure we can land the vehicle and safely take them into custody." In 2022, there were nearly 1,200 vehicle thefts in Arapahoe County, and nearly 950 vehicle thefts in 2023. In 2024, the number of vehicle thefts dropped down to 687. Meanwhile in 2023, there were 40 car theft suspect arrests, and that jumped to 84 arrests in 2024. With the improving numbers, Arapahoe County now also has one of the lowest motor vehicle theft rates in Colorado. "I think it means we're doing the right thing," Rodriguez said. The two added auto thefts are not just property crimes; it's a larger public safety issue. "They're stealing these vehicles. They're using them in smash-and-grabs, robberies, homicides, carjackings. You name it," Foster said. "It's very rare to make an auto-theft arrest, and it's just a kid on a joyride. These people are committing significant crimes," Rodriguez said. Riley Guilmette's truck was stolen from his home in February. He walked outside to see his truck was gone. "It was horrifying. My whole heart just dropped. I love this truck," Guilmette said. Guilmette is among many victims in the Denver Metro area who are glad to hear car theft numbers are improving. "I'm hoping that keeps going down because I'd like to keep this truck in one piece," Guilmette said. "When mine was taken, they reviewed the footage, and ... they pulled up in a stolen car to steal my car." SRT members say they'll stay up to date on training and tactics and continue using new technology to come up with different ways to investigate people and track them down. They're also keeping an eye on what other teams are doing across the country to deal with these criminals. Colorado has had high rates of auto thefts in recent years. The problem hit a five-year high in 2022 with more than 41,000 vehicles stolen. However, that number has started to decrease over the past couple years, with more than 24,000 vehicles stolen statewide in 2024.
CBS News
09-05-2025
- CBS News
Centennial Airport stolen vehicle crash highlights Colorado sheriff's case for flock cameras
A Colorado sheriff is expressing his concern over the ability to catch car thieves after the City of Denver decided not to continue the use of Flock cameras. Late Wednesday evening, Douglas County Sheriff's deputies pursued a stolen vehicle that ended with a crash at Centennial Airport. The incident is one of many examples of law enforcement across the state catching suspects with the help of Flock cameras, which take photos of license plates that drive by. Douglas County Sheriff's Office However, on Monday, the Denver City Council unanimously rejected a two-year extension of the Flock Safety Program, which placed license plate readers along roadways all across Denver. Members cited privacy concerns and potential opportunities for misuse as reasons. To Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly, it should only be concerning for those breaking the law. "I had the system up yesterday, about every five or 10 minutes, I had an alert that we had a problem," said Weekly. CBS The Sheriff calls the technology a game changer and is concerned with Denver's recent decision not to renew its contract to keep it. "For Denver to stop using this technology, they are potentially affecting the entire rest of the Denver Metro area and our ability to solve crimes in our jurisdiction," said Weekly. "It's a black hole for law enforcement. " Jurisdictions across the state are able to access the database to catch suspects wanted for crimes. "Criminals talk. Not only do they talk about where law enforcement is going to chase you or be more aggressive in terms of our ability to capture you. But they also talk about who has license plate readers and who doesn't have license plate readers. They plan for that." Through this technology, law enforcement is alerted when a vehicle associated with a crime passes by a Flock camera. It uploads a photo of the vehicle and its license plate, as well as a pin on a map of where it was located. CBS The deputy who receives the alert would then have to access an additional state computer database to gain more information, such as who the vehicle is registered to. "Nobody is accessing this information without a need to know. They need to have a case number or articulate their reasons for accessing the information, but again, they have to look at another database to determine what they actually have. That information is not available on the system itself," said Weekly. In addition to general privacy concerns, Denver city council members fear the information could be shared with ICE. But, both the Denver Police Department and Sheriff Weekly say that's not happening. "We have never given ICE any information, and they have never asked for it," Weekly explained. "There's absolutely no facial recognition that is associated with this. This just searches plates and vehicle descriptions. That's it." A Denver city council member told CBS Colorado the city council is now working on an ordinance that will govern surveillance technology. The belief is that the mayor's office would like to continue using this type of technology, only under the protection of an ordinance.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Yahoo
Camden County commissioner creates fundraiser to pay for his criminal defense
CAMDEN COUNTY, Mo. – Camden County Presiding Commissioner Ike Skelton has started an online fundraiser to pay for his legal defense, according to the site GiveSendGo. Ozarks First Investigates confirmed that Skelton started the fundraiser himself, as the website states. As our investigative team previously reported, Skelton is charged with two felonies and one misdemeanor over accusations he removed a License Plate Reader camera on Highway 54 in Camden County after the county commission banned LPR Cameras, more commonly known as Flock Cameras. However, the county's ordinance banning Flock Cameras did not apply to cameras placed on state-operated highways like Highway 54. Camden County officials have long been at odds over the use of the surveillance technology. Skelton has been outspoken about his opposition to Flock Cameras, citing privacy concerns. However, the Camden County Sheriff's Office supports these cameras to help track down criminal suspects. 'Although I believe I could justify using taxpayer dollars for my defense, I also believe it would be best NOT to ask the taxpayers to fund my defense because I know some of them do not believe in what I have done,' Skelton wrote in the description for the fundraiser. The fundraising goal for his legal defense fund is set at $50,000. Camden County administrators have not responded to our requests asking whether Skelton will maintain his role as presiding commissioner in light of the criminal charges he faces. The initial court appearance is set for April 11 at 9 a.m. in Camden County. If you have a story you'd like Ozarks First Investigates to look into, email Investigates@ or call our tip line at 417-295-TIPS. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
