Some schools in Aurora have Flock cameras monitoring parking lot entrances
Flock cameras are at the center of controversy nationwide. Some feel like the cameras are an invasion of privacy. In Colorado, several communities have decided to discontinue contracts with the company, removing the equipment.
Now the cameras have shown up outside of some high schools in Aurora. Aurora Central, Gateway, Hinkley, Rangeview, and Vista Peak Preparatory all have Flock cameras monitoring the entrances of their parking lots.
Aurora Police said the cameras are in place to "help protect students, faculty, and staff. As a state that has a history of school shootings, for example, these cameras can prove to be an invaluable tool to help us ensure student and staff safety."
APD said so far, the cameras have helped. According to the police department, the cameras helped officers investigate a shots-fired call on Chambers Road adjacent to a high school. In that case, officers said the camera assisted in identifying the vehicle plate, which ultimately led to identifying a suspect.
They say the same thing happened outside a middle school. A suspect car was identified and located at a nearby high school after it entered the school parking lot.
APD said cameras helped them find suspects in the case of a shed burglary on school property, and two schools each had a stolen car Flock hit that alerted School Resource Officers. Other APD units assisted them in recovering the cars and ultimately making arrests.
As for privacy, APD said by law use of these cameras, like all cameras, is limited to active investigations in accessible public spaces. They also say there are additional directives in the department's school resource officer standard operating procedure.
Aurora has two school districts: Cherry Creek Schools and Aurora Public Schools. These cameras are only outside of Aurora Public Schools, but the district has no contract with Flock.
Cherry Creek Schools said former superintendent Chris Smith gave verbal approval for the Flock cameras to be installed when he was in charge, and schools in Aurora had them for a short time, but when interim superintendent Jen Perry came into office, she asked for the cameras to be removed.
