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Charmaine McGuffey Pauses Hamilton County Flock Camera Use Amid Privacy Concerns

Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey has paused the use of Flock automated license plate reader cameras across the county. The sheriff's office began using the technology in 2022, but McGuffey stated the pause is necessary to establish stronger guardrails regarding how data is collected, shared, and accessed. While the technology has proven useful in solving crimes and locating missing people, residents have raised concerns about potential misuse and the need for greater transparency. The pause comes as several other communities in the region and across the country are also reviewing or ending their contracts with Flock Safety. In Virginia, several counties and cities have either terminated or paused their camera programs to address discrepancies or listen to community feedback. To address privacy concerns, Flock Safety has announced plans to reduce its default data retention period from 30 days to seven days and make misuse detection mandatory for all customers. Meanwhile, U.S. Representative Thomas Massie has introduced the "Flock-Off Act," which would block federal funds from being used to buy or operate automated license plate readers and biometric surveillance cameras.

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