Police Are Hiding Their Use of Flock Surveillance Cameras

Police in Wapello County, Iowa, are instructed not to disclose their use of Flock license plate reader cameras when making arrests. A usage policy for the cameras explicitly tells officers not to mention the technology to vehicle occupants or in their reports unless absolutely necessary. This secrecy is reminiscent of past police use of IMSI-catchers, such as Stingray devices. The policy aims to keep the use of automated license plate readers hidden from the public. The instruction to withhold information about the cameras suggests an effort to maintain secrecy around their deployment.