Greers Ferry, a small city in Cleburne County, Arkansas, has announced it will remove its two Flock Safety license plate reader cameras. This decision makes Greers Ferry the fifth Arkansas community to reject the use of Flock Safety license plate reader cameras in the last three weeks.

Background

Greers Ferry Police Chief David Starbuck stated that the decision was not made lightly and that the safety of the community must be balanced with the privacy, trust, and concerns of the citizens. The city’s decision follows similar moves by Pea Ridge, Cabot, Mayflower, and Centerton.

Flock license plate reader cameras capture images of passing cars and log license plate numbers, comparing them to “hot lists” assembled by the agencies operating them. The company claims the cameras do not use facial recognition software but can search captured images based on vehicle descriptions when a plate number is not known.

Concerns and Controversies

The use of Flock cameras has been controversial, with some residents expressing concerns about privacy and the potential for misuse. In Sherwood, a police officer pulled over a vehicle based on a false positive from a Flock camera, leading to a viral video of the incident. The officer did not follow procedure, and the camera’s reading was inaccurate due to a broken license plate holder.

Sherwood Mayor Mary Jo Heye-Townsell has expressed support for the Flock cameras, stating that residents understand they are only license plate readers and do not pose a privacy risk. However, mayoral candidate Mike Willingham has called for the city to review its contract with Flock Safety, citing concerns about data collection and protection.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.