Union Township and the neighboring village of Fairfax are set to hold public town‑hall meetings on Monday night to examine the future of their contracts with Flock, the company that provides automated license‑plate reader cameras.
Union Township meeting
The Union Township Board of Trustees will convene at 7 p.m. in the Civic Center on Aicholtz Road. While the board has not announced any immediate policy changes, officials say the discussion could shape future action. Currently, 21 Flock cameras operate in the township, and the system has recorded roughly half a million unique license plates in the past month. The database has been accessed 89 times during that period.
Police Chief Anthony Rees defended the technology, noting that the cameras helped recover a stolen vehicle in August and led to the recovery of two additional stolen cars from Hamilton County. “I think it’s a great investigative tool, and it’s making our township safer,” Rees said at a recent meeting.
Nevertheless, some residents voiced concerns about privacy. Union Township resident Jason Steeber warned that the township lacks adequate safety protocols, audits, and safeguards to prevent misuse or harassment of the system.
Fairfax village council meeting
At the same time, Fairfax village council members will meet at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Building on Hawthorne Avenue to discuss the village’s contract with Flock. Representatives from the company and the Fairfax police department will be present to answer questions from the public.
Across Greater Cincinnati, several municipalities have either paused or terminated their agreements with Flock, removing the cameras entirely. Opponents argue that the technology creates a system of warrantless mass surveillance and raise the risk of information being misused.
The upcoming discussions in Union Township and Fairfax will give residents a chance to weigh the public‑safety benefits against privacy concerns and to consider whether additional oversight measures are needed before the technology remains in place.
Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.
