The company announced Thursday it will shorten the recommended default data retention window from 30 to seven days to cut the amount of time data will sit in Flock’s systems. Agencies can still set their own retention period in coordination with state or local policy.
It will also introduce an option for cities to control which types of offenses call for other agencies’ access to the Flock cameras, in an effort to give “communities more control over data sharing” while still permitting collaborations when needed.
Flock offers a system of license plate readers, video cameras and audio detection devices that record license plate numbers along with vehicle information such as the make, model, color and bumper stickers.
Localities can share data with other law enforcement agencies, resulting in a major network that law enforcement can tap to help solve crimes. It is focused on vehicle information, not biometric data or facial recognition.
But a series of reports in recent months raised concerns that law enforcement could misuse the technology for personal business or surveillance.
To prevent abuse by police, Flock said it will require these agencies to implement its “Audit Assistance” feature, which spots abnormal activity and flags it for administrator review.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com
