Members of the Richardson Police Department briefed the City Council on Monday about the use of Flock cameras. The department currently operates 20 cameras at 14 major intersections.
The stationary cameras photograph vehicles on public roadways and record information including license plate, date, time, camera location, vehicle color, make or type, and visible features such as damage or roof racks. The cameras do not use facial recognition, provide vehicle-owner information or demographic information about drivers or passengers, or track every movement a vehicle makes.
The Police Department reported on how the cameras help officers locate and recover stolen vehicles, identify and find suspect vehicles, and locate missing people. Richardson Police Department cameras have also aided in identifying and arresting suspects in cases involving murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, sexual assault, and burglary.
Flock data are stored for 30 days unless they are tied to an active investigation. RPD shares its data primarily with DFW-area law enforcement agencies and select federal agencies. The information is encrypted, access is limited to authorized personnel, and every RPD search is logged for review to help ensure compliance with laws and policy.
Following Council comments, the following steps are being prepared to improve transparency on their use:
- Publish a list of agencies that receive RPD data and establish clear requirements for other agencies’ access and use.
- Review and update the audit policy, then post the policy and audit results online.
- Obtain written confirmation from Flock that data are deleted as required by contract.
View the Council presentation on Flock Cameras
View the City Transparency webpage
