GLENDALE, AZ — The Glendale Police Department is standing by its use of automated license plate readers, even as several other Valley cities have ended their contracts with Flock Safety over privacy concerns and reports of police misuse.
On October 1, there was a scheduled Citizens Transportation Oversight Commission meeting with a presentation on the Flock camera's by the Glendale Police Department, but it was canceled "due to lack of quorum."
Glendale has used automated license plate readers for more than 20 years. Under a contract that runs through September 2027, 58 cameras monitor roads across the city.
City records show Tempe, Surprise, Cave Creek and Chandler have all ended their Flock contracts, citing privacy concerns and police misuse. Glendale has no plans to follow suit.
Glendale Police Commander Scott Waite pointed to a recent case as evidence of the technology's value.
"Two weeks ago, we had a homicide, a murder within our city, and through the use of this technology within 9 minutes, we had units on the vehicle following a murder suspect," Waite said. "And that is somebody that cannot then go out and victimize other people."
Waite said the program includes several safeguards. Scan data is deleted after 30 days, only 20% of the force can access the system, and every search requires a report number and supervisor approval. The department says officers look at just 0.01% of the plates scanned each month.
"Anybody that's caught using it for any purpose outside of criminal law enforcement purposes, our chief has said we will no longer be an employee with this department," Waite said.
Despite those assurances, critics including the ACLU of Arizona say Flock cameras raise significant privacy concerns. Waite said data is only shared through active investigations.
Lenore Griffith Bishop lives in Cave Creek, one of the cities that ended its Flock contract. She said she sees merit on both sides of the debate.
"So many of the community have cameras on their buildings, so it helps follow crime, but if they see that car in one place causing a crime and the Flock camera can catch them, that is great, so I'm hit and miss on which way it should go," Griffith Bishop said.
"I mean, it is for safety. But for criminal reasons is why I think they should use them," she said.
Glendale police say they have no plans to end the program while it continues to deliver results.
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