Innovative law enforcement technology being used to tackle vehicle thefts

An innovative technology from Flock is being successfully utilized across the country in order to target vehicle thefts, including here in Snohomish County. While adhering to privacy laws, this new technology collects only objective vehicle data by way of Automated License Plate Readers, alerts law enforcement of wanted vehicles, and aids in crime-solving.

This camera system does not use facial recognition and is not tied to Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Additionally, it is not used for traffic enforcement and the data is not stored indefinitely.

Another key feature to the Flock technology is information sharing, meaning that local and national public agencies (as well as private sector entities) have the ability to share data between each other if they so choose. This means that local law enforcement agencies which utilize Flock cameras can work together. Here in Snohomish County, we are already seeing this multi-jurisdictional cooperation pay off in several jurisdictions. Here is information on the City of Arlington’s Flock program, for example.

As a result of Flock cameras, stolen vehicle recovery has nearly doubled in Arlington. There have been several instances of stolen vehicles being located, suspects apprehended, and vehicles returned to owners. The Flock system also helped solve a kidnapping by identifying the location of a suspect’s vehicle in Marysville which led to the safe recovery of the kidnapped individual in another state!

Your voice matters. Reach out to your local government leaders today and urge them to support the adoption and implementation of the Flock cameras in your community! 

If your local government has already implemented Flock cameras, reach out to thank your local leaders!