OVIEDO, Fla. — Oviedo city leaders are expected to question Flock Safety on Monday about the company’s controversial license plate-reading cameras, nearly two weeks after the City Council considered removing the technology from the city.
Flock Safety is one of several companies that makes automated license plate readers, which can be used by public agencies and private organizations to track vehicles entering and leaving an area.
The technology has drawn privacy concerns from critics who question how the data is collected, shared and accessed.
Those concerns have grown as law enforcement officers in different parts of the country have faced allegations or charges involving misuse of license plate-reader systems, including using the technology to track family members.
Flock Safety has also faced increased scrutiny as questions continue about the security and accessibility of camera systems. Separately, another brand of camera was found to have live video feeds accessible online without requiring a username or password.
Police departments, including Oviedo police, have defended license plate readers as a valuable investigative tool that can help officers identify vehicles and solve crimes more quickly.
During Monday night’s meeting, Oviedo City Council members are expected to question Flock Safety representatives directly.
According to city records, many of those questions are likely to focus on how outside law enforcement agencies can access or use cameras operating within Oviedo.
Channel 9 also obtained data showing the types of crimes for which the Oviedo Police Department has used the cameras.
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