KJRH reported that Tulsa police held a transparency session on Oct. 19 to explain how the department uses Flock license plate reader cameras. A panel of officers answered questions submitted by community members, nearly 80 in all.
The same day, Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado spoke about his agency's use of plate readers. He said the technology helped authorities find 91 pounds of methamphetamine, and he said much of the social media discussion focused on the cameras instead.
How many Flock cameras does Tulsa have?
- Cameras in the city: 106, according to Tulsa Police
- Community questions answered at the Oct. 19 session: nearly 80
- Additional community conversations planned this year: at least four
The department did not say in the reporting how those 106 cameras are spread across the city. For a map of mapped cameras, see the camera map.
Does Tulsa's plate reader system use facial recognition?
Tulsa Police says the cameras are used strictly to read license plates and do not have facial recognition. That is the department's own description. The reporting does not include an outside check of it.
Tulsa's new police chief, Jonathan Brooks, said educating the public about the technology could ease some concerns. He said the department is trying to balance constitutional rights and privacy against community safety.
KJRH spoke with several people who attended but none would be interviewed on camera. They said they appreciated the department's effort to be open. One woman said she had no problem with the cameras themselves but was concerned about Flock, the company that makes them.
What changes for drivers?
The reporting covers an information session, not a vote, contract change or new rule. Nothing in it says the city's 106 cameras are being turned off, moved or replaced. Nothing in the reporting addresses cameras run by a neighboring city, Tulsa County, the state, a business or an HOA.
What does not change: the department's statement that the cameras read plates and do not use facial recognition is the only detail on how they work. For background on how plate readers work and what they record, see how plate readers work.
What can residents ask at the next session?
The next session is Oct. 26 at the Tulsa Tech Memorial campus. Questions worth bringing include how many cameras the city runs and where, how long plate reads are kept, who can search the data, and whether the department shares data with other agencies. Residents who want records can check published transparency records for agencies, and can report a camera they've seen through the contribute page.