Florence’s Flock Safety cameras remain deactivated as the city prepares to begin a broader review of the license plate reader technology.
Florence and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office are forming a joint committee of law enforcement, legal, and information technology security experts to examine the cameras from public safety, privacy and oversight perspectives. The group will make a recommendation to the Florence City Council, which will decide whether the city resumes using the cameras or ends the program.
While the city works to form that committee, the city’s current Flock cameras remain disabled.
Florence Mayor Julie Metzger Aubuchon said at the Oct. 6 special meeting that no decision has been made about the future of Flock in the city.
“I don’t believe that public safety and individual privacy are competing values,” Aubuchon said. “We have an obligation to protect both.”
Florence Police Chief Jeff Mallery said Florence and Boone County Sheriff’s Office administrators are scheduled to meet Thursday to discuss who will serve on the committee. The committee itself has not yet met.
The review is expected to examine data retention, who within a police department should have access to searches and whether information should be shared through a nationwide network or a more limited regional network. Officials will also look at what information officers should be required to provide when searching for a vehicle, procedures for auditing searches and potential disciplinary measures if the technology is misused.
“Once the committee is formed, we’ll look at all this and any other points that come up,” Mallery said. “We will give a presentation back to council on what we find, and ultimately it’ll be your all’s decision whether we keep them or get rid of them.”
The city announced it was temporarily suspending its use of Flock cameras last month amid questions about privacy, data collection and oversight. Florence purchased 10 Flock Falcon license plate reader cameras under a contract signed in September 2025.
Mallery confirmed during the meeting that Florence’s cameras remain off.
“Our officers have no access to the cameras or the data,” Mallery said.
Flock Safety confirmed to the police department that Florence’s cameras were deactivated Sept. 16 and that other agencies cannot access the cameras or the city’s historical data, according to Mallery.
Florence police also checked with airport police, which continues to use Flock, and confirmed that the agency could not search Florence’s cameras or data, he said.
The city is taking another step to ensure the cameras aren’t being used by physically covering those already installed. Mallery said covers were expected to arrive this week.
“Some residents and members of council had legitimate questions about privacy, data retention and oversight, and I felt those questions deserved a transparent and thorough review before the city made any decision about the future use or funding of this technology,” Aubuchon said.
Residents and council members could not comment on Flock during the meeting because it was a special meeting. Aubuchon said residents will have an opportunity to provide input later in the process.
