Ohio cities are not handling Flock Safety cameras the same way. WYSO Public Radio reported on September 2 that Cleveland kept its cameras under a shorter contract with new limits. Oxford voted to end its contract altogether.
The report is a conversation between Ideastream reporter Matt Richmond and WVXU reporter Lilley Halloran, who joined The Ohio Newsroom to discuss it.
Why are Ohio cities deciding differently?
Ohio police have used license plate readers for years. Opposition has focused on Flock, according to WYSO. The report cites a volunteer database run by the advocacy group DeFlock, which lists more than 8,000 Flock cameras in Ohio communities.
Residents have raised privacy concerns and asked how the data is shared among law enforcement agencies, WYSO reports.
What did Cleveland decide?
- Flock cameras went up in Cleveland in 2023 with almost no public notice, Richmond says.
- The mayor later sought to expand the contract. That plan was shelved after council hearings, where several members expressed skepticism.
- Council approved a six-month extension instead of a year, and added guardrails.
- The city removed itself from the national lookup network. Other cities and federal authorities can no longer search for vehicles on Cleveland's cameras.
- The contract is now out for renewal.
Opponents say federal immigration authorities have used the cameras to track immigrants, whether or not local police work with them directly. Officers, Richmond says, call it an immensely useful tool, and every investigation now starts with a Flock search. Richmond also says Cleveland may move to Axon, which already has a large contract with the city for other services, because other cities are leaving Flock.
What did Oxford decide?
Oxford has 14 Flock cameras, near Miami University. The council sent the question to its police review board. The police chief suggested keeping the contract with guardrails like Cleveland's, and the board agreed the cameras were effective.
Residents were still unhappy. Halloran says their main complaint was data sharing with other departments, not the cameras' crime-fighting value. The council then voted 6-to-1 to terminate the contract.
What changes for drivers?
- In Oxford, WYSO says the cameras are being shut down entirely.
- In Cleveland, the cameras stay in place under the extension. The change is the national lookup network: the city no longer shares its searches with other cities or federal authorities, according to WYSO.
- Coshocton and Wyandot counties have ended their Flock contracts, WYSO reports. Pierce Township is getting rid of its cameras, citing vandalism and the cost of replacing them.
- Hamilton has said it will keep its cameras.
A city's vote covers that city's cameras. WYSO's report does not cover cameras run by neighboring cities, the county, the state, a business or a homeowners association, so those stay where they are. Use the camera map to see which cameras are installed near you.
What is still unknown?
- WYSO does not say when the Cleveland extension starts or how many cameras the city runs.
- WYSO does not give the date of Oxford's vote.
- The report does not say when Coshocton and Wyandot counties ended their contracts.
The next decision is Cleveland's. The contract is out for renewal, and Richmond expects the city to look at Axon. Hamilton residents say they will keep going to City Council.