Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s workplace is extending a contract with Flock — an organization that operates AI-powered license-plate readers all through town — for 5 months with none further price, circumventing any vote from the Metropolis Council.
In Could, the council unanimously voted in opposition to a contract to increase the system over considerations that the know-how is making a surveillance community ripe for abuse. However Johnston’s workplace opted to not take the cameras down after which prolonged the contract by October with out council approval.
Now, one other contract extension will final by no less than March, which is when Johnston’s workforce will current a brand new contract to the Metropolis Council, in accordance with a information launch from the mayor’s workplace Wednesday.
Johnston’s workplace says that Flock’s know-how has been a “recreation changer” for combating crime.
Johnston mentioned that Flock has agreed so as to add new protections to its providers to make sure that Denver’s knowledge isn’t shared with the federal authorities. One of many greatest fears that opponents of the system have is that the information could possibly be utilized by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation efforts.
“I’ve made clear to Flock’s management that I count on whole transparency and that something much less will end in an finish to our relationship,” Johnston mentioned within the information launch.
The brand new contract will embrace a requirement for Flock to pay $100,000 for any occasion of Denver knowledge being shared with federal companies, in accordance with a information launch from town Wednesday.
Flock will even solely enable legislation enforcement customers to search for autos with sure search phrases for a “choose variety of crimes,” which excludes something associated to immigration or reproductive well being care, like abortions.
After the council rejected the proposal in Could, Johnston’s workplace authorized a brand new contract with Flock over the summer season for just below $500,000, which is the edge required for council approval. That extension ends this month. The brand new extension may have no price.
The information outlet 404 Media reported that ICE has used Flock knowledge for its deportation efforts. The mayor’s workplace says there have been no examples of that taking place with Denver knowledge.
Flock has led to 352 arrests and 250 recovered stolen autos, in accordance with town information launch. The 111 cameras had been put in at 70 intersections all through Denver in 2024 as a part of an eight-month pilot program.
The cameras function by snapping photographs of each automotive that passes by the intersections the place they’re primarily based. The system then cross-references the license plate with nationwide and native legislation enforcement databases.
If a plate matches one listed within the system as stolen or concerned with a criminal offense, the Denver Police Division is notified — with a pinpoint of the place the photograph was taken — inside about 15 seconds. The photographs are saved for 30 days except they’re flagged as a part of an investigation.
It is a creating story that will probably be up to date.
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