Suffolk County lawmakers grilled Flock Safety representatives at a public hearing on Thursday, Oct. 8, about privacy, data security and oversight of the company's license plate reader cameras. CBS New York reported that legislators pressed the company on camera locations, data retention and public transparency.
CBS New York says nearly 200 Flock cameras are deployed by the Suffolk County Police Department, the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office and 10 towns and villages in the county. The hearing comes amid public skepticism about the technology on Long Island.
What did Flock Safety tell lawmakers?
- Flock representatives said the company uses industry-standard encryption and security measures to protect data.
- Officials said camera locations run by state and local governments are subject to public records laws. You can find published transparency records on the agencies page.
- Trevor Chandler of Flock Safety said the cameras are designed to identify vehicles, not people. "It's about vehicles, not people."
- Chandler also said the system is not facial recognition and holds no personal records or DMV information.
How long does Suffolk County keep plate data?
Flock officials said data collected in Suffolk County is kept for up to 30 days before it is permanently deleted. CBS New York does not say whether the same retention period applies to the 10 towns and villages that run their own cameras.
What did the Suffolk County DA and lawmakers say?
The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said license plate readers have helped police solve crimes faster, including kidnappings and sexual assaults. Assistant DA Allen Bode argued the cameras can reduce unnecessary stops by helping investigators find a specific vehicle.
Suffolk County Legislator Chad Lennon said during the hearing that lawmakers do not want bad actors using the system for the wrong reasons. CBS New York reports that several lawmakers said their concerns were answered at the hearing, but they also said local legislation may still be needed to set rules on who can access the data and how it can be used.
What changes for drivers?
Nothing in the CBS New York report changes which cameras are running. The hearing video is posted on the Suffolk County Legislature's website, and for background on how the cameras work, read how plate readers work.
CBS New York does not give a date for when lawmakers might propose local legislation.