Despite mounting privacy concerns, Arlington PD plans to add even more Flock license plate-reading cameras

Arlington, Texas – Despite mounting privacy and surveillance concerns among local residents, the Arlington Police Department has decided to extend its contract for the large network of Flock license plate-reading cameras set around the city.
Originally started with 24 cameras two years ago, the Arlington PD’s project now has more than 130 cameras. Local law enforcement credits the system, which records passing car license plates, with significantly reducing crime rates and supporting many high-profile criminal convictions. Police statistics show that areas under video monitoring have seen a 26% drop in personal offenses, a clear contrast to the 12% drop noted in other areas of the city without this monitoring.
The decision to keep using the Flock system was strengthened following a recent example in which a crime was solved in great part with technology. Last December, a 56-year-old woman was tragically killed during a robbery outside a restaurant on New York Avenue. The law enforcement officials tracked and identified the getaway car used in the crime using the Flock cameras, which resulted in the 35-year-old Fernando Taylor’s arrest under charges of capital murder.

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Arlington is not unique in how they use Flock cameras. In their fight against crime, several other North Texas cities—including Dallas, Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, White Settlement, and Trophy Club—have embraced similar approaches.
The initiative seems to be successful, although the growth of the surveillance network has not been greeted without resistance. Privacy advocates and critics argue that ongoing public area surveillance seriously compromises privacy. Concerns over who has access to the footage, how it is used, and the length of time the footage is kept have been raised by residents living close to the cameras about being under constant monitoring.
The Arlington Police Department has responded to these concerns by telling the public the cameras are set simply to record license plates, not photos of drivers or passengers. Accessible only to qualified police actively engaged in particular investigations, the tape is kept for a limited period of 30 days.

Despite these protections, the argument about the proper ratio between security and privacy keeps on. More openness about the use of surveillance technology and tougher laws to safeguard people’s privacy rights are among the primary requests made by activists.
Arlington’s future with its renewed dedication to the Flock camera program will be seen how the city will navigate the difficult interaction between preserving resident privacy and increasing public safety.