Austin police face data ownership concerns in Flock ALPR vendor discussions

During a recent meeting of the Austin Technology Commission, significant concerns were raised regarding data ownership and security related to the use of Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) provided by the vendor Flock. The discussion highlighted that the city of Austin does not store ALPR data within its own IT systems, raising questions about the control and safeguarding of sensitive information.

Commission members expressed uncertainty about how Flock manages and stores the data, with no clear information on whether it utilizes in-house servers or third-party cloud services. This lack of transparency means that the city has limited oversight over the data's security, which is crucial given the sensitive nature of law enforcement information.

A key point made during the meeting was that Flock's business model relies heavily on data sharing among law enforcement agencies across the country. This means that once the data is collected, it is not exclusive to Austin but is accessible to police departments nationwide. This raises ethical concerns, especially considering the limited number of vendors in this space, many of which have questionable track records.

The commission's discussions underscored the importance of establishing clear guidelines and standards for data management to ensure that the city can protect its residents' information effectively. As the use of technology in law enforcement continues to evolve, the need for robust data governance will be critical in maintaining public trust and accountability. The commission plans to further explore these issues to develop a framework that aligns with the city's values and regulations.