Long Island lawmakers question Flock Safety over privacy, oversight of license plate readers

Suffolk County lawmakers grilled representatives from Flock Safety during a public hearing Thursday, raising concerns about privacy, data security and oversight of the company's growing network of license plate reader cameras.

The hearing comes in the midst of public skepticism surrounding the technology, which has become increasingly common across Long Island and the nation.

Nearly 200 Flock cameras are currently deployed by the Suffolk County Police Department, the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office, and 10 towns and villages throughout the county.

Legislators pressed company representatives on a range of issues, including data security, camera locations, data retention policies and public transparency.

Flock representatives said the company uses industry-standard encryption and security measures to safeguard data. Officials also noted that camera locations operated by state and local governments are subject to public records laws.

Questions also focused on how long license plate data remains in the system. Flock officials said data collected in Suffolk County is retained for up to 30 days before being permanently deleted.

Lawmakers also sought clarification on exactly what information the cameras capture. Trevor Chandler of Flock Safety said the technology is designed to identify vehicles, not people.

"It's not facial recognition. It's about vehicles, not people. No personal records, no DMV information," Chandler said.

Despite those assurances, one attendee remained unconvinced, arguing the technology raises broader concerns about government surveillance and tracking.

Supporters of the system pointed to its role in criminal investigations.

The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said license plate readers have helped law enforcement solve crimes more quickly, including mail thefts, kidnappings, and sexual assaults.

Assistant DA Allen Bode argued the technology can reduce unnecessary police stops by helping investigators identify specific vehicles tied to crimes.

"If there is a shooting involving a gray Honda, police may stop multiple gray Hondas, and they may do that at gunpoint," Bode said. "Someone could be hurt. But if they know the license plate, only that car will be stopped. It prevents overpolicing."

Still, the network of more than 140,000 license plate readers operating nationwide has drawn criticism from privacy advocates, who argue the technology amounts to mass surveillance. The system has also faced scrutiny following reports of law enforcement officers misusing access to license plate reader databases.

"We don't want those people who are bad actors to use it for the wrong reasons," Suffolk County Legislator Chad Lennon said during the hearing.

While several lawmakers said their concerns were addressed during the hearing, they emphasized that local legislation may still be needed to establish guardrails governing who can access the data and how it can be used.

The full hearing is available on the Suffolk County Legislature's website.