Abington will end its use of Flock surveillance cameras in the coming months in an effort to maintain a positive relationship with the community, Police Chief John Bonney announced Monday.
Although the department has used the controversial surveillance technology to make arrests and locate missing people, according to Bonney, officers are concerned about the growing backlash.
“They understand that being a successful police department is not simply about having the most tools or the newest technology,” Bonney said during an interview with Town Manager Michael Maresco posted by Abington Community Access Media. “It’s about maintaining the trust and confidence of the people we serve.”
Abington joins a growing number of communities in Massachusetts and across the country who have decided to end their contracts with Flock, an Atlanta-based company that has created a nationwide network of automated license plate readers available to law enforcement agencies.
Flock and it’s supporters say the system is a powerful investigatory tool that helps police find fugitives, stolen vehicles, missing people, and track criminals.
Others say the cameras amount to a massive warrantless surveillance system funded by taxpayer dollars that is ripe for abuse.
Already more than 50 law enforcement officials nationwide have been charged with using the system to track romantic partners, spouses, and exes. In some cases Flock’s own AI-powered auditing system flagged the improper usage.
One advocacy group says 93 jurisdictions have ended their contracts with Flock toys past month alone.
East Bridgewater announced recently it is pausing its discussions with Flock. Easton also decided to end its trial.
License plate recognition technology has been around for years. What’s new is the AI processing and cloud storage capabilities that have created a massive database of vehicle tracking with no distinction between criminals and law-abiding citizens.
Bonney said Abington had tried battery powered cameras previously but that they proved ineffective. The police department used an $18,000 federal grant to obtain and license six solar-powered cameras through Flock.
In his conversation with Maresco, Bonney defended the use of the cameras saying they are an effective investigative tool. In one instance, Abington officers used Flock records to confirm a gun-running ring was renting vans from the U-Haul facility in town, he said.
“It’s worked phenomenally. I will not back off of that,” Bonney said.
Figures published online show Abington’s cameras have captured at least 236,000 unique vehicles driving on the town’s roads over the past 30 days.
Bonney said he didn’t seek Town Meeting or Select Board approval to buy the cameras because the money came from a federal grant and he doesn’t need permission to buy law enforcement tools.
He said recent court cases have upheld the use of Flock cameras in arrests in certain cases.
“This is not a constitutional violation regardless of people’s feelings on it. I’m not the feelings police,” Bonney said.
Maresco agreed with Bonney that he didn’t see a problem with the use of cameras to record vehicle movements.
“People should assume they’re on camera everywhere,” he said, pointing to the use of surveillance cameras in Downtown Boston, Fenway Park, and Gillette Stadium.
But there is growing opposition across the political spectrum to Flock and systems like it. Both the Cato Institute and ACLU filed amicus briefs in a recent Virginia court case arguing the system amounts to an illegal dragnet that violates Constitutional rights. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott this past week ordered all state agencies to pause spending on Flock contracts. Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri announced he is launching an investigation into Flock.
Bonney said recent cases of law enforcement officials misusing Flock were “absolutely abhorrent” and supports their prosecution. He also said officers have misused every tool on his police belt, but “there’s no public outcry to take those” tools away.
However, amidst a number of questions, public record requests, and letters of opposition he’s received, and along with talking to other chiefs, Bonney said he recently consulted with Abington police officers directly. The feedback he received surprised him.
“They’ve used it successfully and recognize the benefits it can provide the community they serve . But they also told me something equally important,” Bonney told Maresco. “They said if the community’s fighting this hard against it perhaps it’s not worth keeping.”
Select Board Chairman Paul Bunker praised Bonney for his willingness to listen to residents, as well as residents for reaching out with questions and concerns.
“I support Chief Bonney 100% in his decision to end the use of Flock cameras in the Town of Abington,” Bunker told Abington News. “I want to commend our Chief for actively listening to Abington’s residents and consulting with his fellow officers in making this decision.”
Bonney said he will be looking into the best way of winding down the surveillance system, since it is funded with a federal grant.
Only four of the six cameras are currently working; two were recently damaged by a vandal, Bonney said.
A private business in town also has a Flock camera on its property. That camera won’t be impacted by the police department’s decision.