Chandler Police Department to Cease Use of AI-Driven License Plate Cameras
The Chandler Police Department has decided to end its collaboration with Flock, a company that provides AI-powered license plate camera technology. This move follows an internal review that uncovered potential misuse of the system by an employee of the department and comes amid public concerns voiced in recent city council meetings.
Currently, the Chandler City Council is deliberating whether to terminate its agreement with Flock Safety. In the meantime, 40 cameras equipped with automated license plate readers continue to operate throughout the city.
Flock’s technology functions by capturing license plate information and car details, aiding police investigations. Police Chief Bryan Chapman stated, “Flock is well aware of our intention to sunset those. That could look like taking them down, placing hoods over them. I think everybody’s going to have a level of comfort when there are physical barriers over those cameras to show that they’re not recording.”
While expressing concerns about the potential impact on future investigations, Chapman noted, “We would be significantly behind the curve in trying to find and address some of these issues. So, certainly, this slows down our investigative capacities.”
Despite the decision to discontinue the cameras, Chapman remains a proponent of their utility in police work. He mentioned that the removal of the cameras is a task for Flock, as the city no longer has access to them.
This development occurs shortly before a scheduled City Council discussion on the technology later this month.
—
Read More Arizona News
