NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth reported that Dallas police have sharply reduced the number of outside agencies that can access the department's Flock camera data. The department went from more than 1,500 outside agencies to 202, all located in Texas.
Who can see Dallas's Flock data now?
- 202 outside agencies, all in Texas, can access the data, down from more than 1,500.
- The department has stopped sharing Flock data with federal partners.
Trevor Chandler, head of policy and public affairs for Flock Safety, said each agency owns its data and decides who it shares with. He told council members that Flock is rolling out proactive auditing to detect unusual searches more quickly.
Why is Dallas reviewing its Flock cameras?
The city is weighing the future of a network of more than 670 Flock cameras with license plate readers. NBC 5 reports that 321 of them in Dallas are set to go dark next week. Gov. Greg Abbott pulled state funding for them, citing reported misuse of Flock technology by officers in other cities.
The Public Safety Committee got an update Monday on the department's use of Flock. That came six days after the City Council signaled support for keeping $1.5 million in Flock funding for next year.
How long does Dallas keep Flock data?
The department's current retention policy is 365 days. Deputy Chief William Griffith said the longer period has helped DPD solve more business robberies and 13 murders this year.
Griffith said the department is aware of the community's concerns about the technology itself.
What is Councilmember Adam Bazaldua proposing?
Councilmember Adam Bazaldua presented an amendment to cut the Flock funding. He spoke with the Dallas County Young Democrats on Tuesday evening about the issue.
Bazaldua said embracing technology to improve efficiency is one consideration, but the concerns about its use have to be weighed too. He said a mass network that shares data "compromises the rights and privacy of our residents."
What changes for drivers in Dallas?
The access cut limits who can see Dallas police Flock data. NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth does not say whether any other cameras in the network change while the council weighs funding. You can check what is mapped on the camera map.
NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth does not say whether agencies outside Texas that had access before the cut kept any data they already received.
What happens next?
NBC 5 says the 321 cameras in Dallas are set to go dark next week. The council has not yet settled the $1.5 million funding question.