Woodbridge Police Director Nisky Defends Flock Cameras In Town

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — At the Sept. 15 Woodbridge Council meeting, a resident stood up and, for the second time, asked the town of Woodbridge to take down the 22 flock cameras that are up in town.

"Flock cameras" are the folk term for license-plate reading cameras. These cameras have become widespread throughout New Jersey. Police like them because they enable police to locate things like stolen cars. But some Americans are deeply concerned about license-plate readers; they say Americans' privacy is invaded because police can track your car and license plate, regardless of whether or not you are suspected of a crime.

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Police Director Joseph Nisky responded to the resident at that meeting.

"I would highly recommend that the Council not get rid of them. They're useful for law enforcement," said Nisky.

The resident immediately responded:

"I'm gonna challenge that. They might be useful for law enforcement, but they're also useful for a lot of really bad things. It really makes it sounds like you didn't do your research on them, or you just don't care."

The resident is Adam Efrus, Tap Into Woodbridge reported.

Efrus vowed he will "just keep coming back. I'm just gonna keep asking ... You're gonna see around the country people are gonna start taking them down themselves," he warned. "I'm not saying I'm gonna do that. But they need to come down."

There are a total of 22 license plate readers – known as "flock cameras" — on some of Woodbridge's busiest streets. Those 22 cameras have been up for three years in Woodbridge. They have helped Woodbridge Police do things such as locate stolen cars, find missing people and make other arrests, said Police Director Nisky.

"That's just an example of what we use ours for," said Nisky, reiterating at the meeting that Woodbridge Twp. should not take down the flock cameras.

The Woodbridge mayor and council have given no indication they will take down the license-plate reader, or "flock" cameras.