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Dumfries to host town hall on Flock license plate reader cameras
A northern Virginia town that previously voted to pause its Flock camera program is hosting a town hall Thursday night to demonstrate how the automated technology works to residents.
DUMFRIES, Va. - A northern Virginia town that previously voted to pause its Flock camera program is hosting a town hall Thursday night to demonstrate how the automated technology works to residents.
What we know:
The Town of Dumfries did not ban the cameras but instead called for a temporary timeout to gather additional information. Mayor Derrick Wood told FOX 5 he hopes people get their questions answered.
Wood emphasized that "technology shouldn’t grow faster than public trust," stressing the need for community involvement and encouraging both supporters and opponents of the cameras to attend.
A total of eight Flock cameras were scheduled to become fully operational by the end of September. However, amid community concerns involving privacy, data security, and information sharing, the Dumfries Town Council voted 4-2 to pause the program. Council members specified that no cameras will be reinstalled or activated without further council action.
Some councilmembers noted that automated license plate readers assist police officers in identifying stolen vehicles, locating missing or endangered individuals, and tracking potential criminal suspects. Situated between Interstate 95 and Route 1, the town of 6,000 residents is a place where police say license plate reader technology can be a valuable tool for regional coordination. Neighboring Prince William County currently operates 28 Flock cameras.
To explore additional options, Wood also recently toured the facilities of Axon, a competitor to Flock, to gather information on alternative systems. The town hall is scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the Town of Dumfries.