Staunton Police Chief Jim Williams, in consultation with the City Manager and City Council, will move forward to cancel the city’s contract with Flock Safety, ending the use of the stationary automated license plate readers that have been installed in the city.
Early last week, Chief Williams received an unsolicited email from Flock Safety’s CEO that highlighted the safety of data collected. The email also indicated that Flock, and the law enforcement agencies they partner with, are under coordinated attack. Flock Safety’s CEO suggested that the attacks aren’t new and that they’re “from the same activist groups who want to defund the police, weaken public safety, and normalize lawlessness.”
The City of Staunton wants to make it clear that the Flock Safety CEO’s narrative does not reflect the city’s values. The Staunton Police Department reported numerous successes utilizing this technology. Unfortunately, the city does not agree with the assessment as detailed by the CEO of Flock Safety. The Staunton Police Department remains fully committed to public safety through community-based policing, investigative techniques that utilize best practices, and other technology solutions.
The City of Staunton is currently coordinating with Flock Safety to finalize the contract termination, turn off the license plate readers, and have them removed. In the near future, the city will provide an update with a more specific timeline.
This decision aligns with the Staunton Police Department’s mission statement:
The Staunton Police Department is charged with the duty and privilege of protecting and serving all persons within our jurisdiction. We are committed to the prevention of crime; the protection of life and property; the preservation of peace and public order; and the safeguarding of Constitutional guarantees. It is only with the commitment to public cooperation that we can successfully carry out this mission.
Read The Flock Safety CEO’s email and Chief Williams’ response