QUINCY, MASS. (WHDH) - In Quincy, city leaders voted to table discussions on its Flock cameras until a later date.
Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy said they’re an important tool for the department, while several residents oppose them.
“We do not use it to monitor someone’s activities because we’re curious where they go; we do not use it to build profiles on law-abiding citizens,” Kennedy said. “ALPR is an investigative tool. It’s another tool available for our detectives when they’re investigating a crime.”
Flock cameras are automated license plate readers used to track vehicles.
Kennedy said over 700,000 license plates have been captured in the last few weeks, but fewer than 200 of them were investigated.
“Public trust is hard-earned and easily lost,” Kennedy said. “This police department has spent decades building trust with our community, and I assure you I will not be the one to lose it.”
Several Massachusetts communities have ended their use of the technology in recent weeks over privacy concerns and amid complaints that police officers have misused them to track people.
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