The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office is fully terminating its use of Flock Safety cameras.
In a statement Friday, the office said its decision comes after residents raised significant concerns over who has access to the data collected by automated license plate readers (ALPRs) and how it is shared.
“Although ALPR technology has contributed to important investigative outcomes, the Sheriff’s Office will only use tools that meet our standards for privacy, transparency, and full local control over sensitive information,” the statement said.
The office says internal audits show there has been no misuse of the system.
“We will continue to keep the community informed as we evaluate the guardrails and public‑trust requirements necessary for any future consideration of this specific technology,” the statement said.
Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey paused use of her department’s 75 Flock cameras last month.
“This decision puts privacy and public trust first,” McGuffey said in September.
The sheriff called on Flock and the Ohio legislature to establish guardrails on how the private company shares its data. The sheriff’s office said it paused payments to Flock as it waited for answers, with McGuffey saying this is possible under the department's contract.
Tri-State communities from Newport to Oxford have canceled their contracts with Flock Safety, citing reasons from privacy concerns to data sharing.
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