All 41 Arlington County Flock Cameras Are Gone. Here's What Remains

ARLINGTON, VA — Arlington County has removed all 41 Flock surveillance cameras after concerns about privacy and potential federal access to residents' information; however, drivers may still encounter privately owned cameras that record license plates and other vehicle details.

The county completed removal of its Flock Safety equipment last week, county spokesperson Ryan Hudson told ARLnow on Tuesday. The removal included 26 Falcon license plate readers and 15 Condor cameras capable of panning, tilting and zooming.

However, the county's decision does not affect cameras installed on private property. Officials have acknowledged that privately owned Flock cameras and other license plate readers operate in Arlington, although the number is unknown, according to ARLnow.

The distinction means the county's decision to end its surveillance program does not necessarily eliminate the technology from Arlington's streets and parking areas.

The Arlington County Board voted unanimously Sept. 15 to discontinue its Flock program after residents raised concerns about how information collected by the cameras could be accessed or shared.

As Patch previously reported, the board directed county officials to remove the cameras and delete data not needed for active criminal investigations, subject to applicable legal and contractual requirements.

• Related: Fairfax Pauses Flock Camera Expansion As Arlington Ends Its Program
  

County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said at the time that the decision reflected residents' concerns and the county's responsibility to maintain public trust.

Officials emphasized that no misuse of the technology by Arlington police had been reported.

Why Arlington Ended The Program

Flock cameras automatically capture license plates and other identifying details about vehicles, including their make, model, bumper stickers and visible damage.

Police can search the information to identify vehicles associated with criminal investigations, locate missing people and track stolen cars.

Unlike conventional traffic enforcement cameras, Arlington's Flock system was not used to issue speeding or red-light tickets. The county's policy called for deleting collected information after 30 days unless it was needed for a criminal investigation.

The technology nevertheless drew criticism over the possibility that other law enforcement agencies, including federal authorities, could access information collected locally.

The county's decision was part of a broader regional debate over the technology.

As Patch reported in September, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted the same day Arlington ended its program to pause installation of new stationary Flock cameras while reviewing privacy safeguards and data-sharing practices.

Fairfax County's decision left its 84 licensed stationary cameras operating while officials examined alternatives and sought answers from Flock about who could access the information.

Police Raised Concerns About Removal

Arlington Police Chief Andy Penn opposed ending the county's program, telling board members that the cameras had helped investigators solve serious crimes.

"There are some crimes that, without this, will not be solved," Penn said during a Sept. 22 County Board meeting, according to ARLnow.

Deputy County Manager for Public Safety Aaron Miller also defended the technology, saying police had used it to locate missing adults and juveniles, recover stolen vehicles and identify suspects connected to violent crimes.

Board members maintained that their concerns centered on the possibility of information being accessed or misused outside Arlington, rather than wrongdoing by local officers.

The board has indicated it could consider other surveillance technologies in the future, provided residents have an opportunity to weigh in on privacy safeguards.

Could Arlington Ban Private Cameras?

With the county-owned equipment gone, privacy advocates are now pushing for broader restrictions.

The advocacy group DeFlock NoVa has called for a county ordinance banning all automated license plate readers, including privately operated equipment, according to ARLnow.

The group plans to raise the issue during a town hall Oct. 26.

For now, Arlington has removed its government-operated Flock cameras, but the county has not adopted a broader prohibition on privately owned license plate readers.