You’re driving into Sand Run Metro Park to go for some exercise on the jogging path when you spot a surveillance device that you had not noticed before.
You recognize it as a Flock camera, a law enforcement tool increasingly used on roadways throughout the area. But why is that extending to parks that are there for the community’s enjoyment? What kind of information is it collecting? Who else is accessing it? Is it tracking your every move?
The answer, a park spokeswoman says, boils down to a simple desire to keep park visitors safe through optical scans of the license plates coming and going.
Since installing Flock cameras in the Summit Metro Parks district, the rate of thefts from vehicles parked in its lots has decreased dramatically.
“We have tracked our theft from motor vehicle reports and have seen approximately 80% reduction in those crimes since installing them in 2024,” said parks spokeswoman Lindsay Smith via email.
The 13 Flock cameras located near park entrances have been used to help law enforcement investigations into property damage, theft from vehicles, and helped find people who are missing or in a suspected mental health crisis, Smith said.
Metro Parks police decided to use Flock cameras to deter thefts from vehicles, she said, a crime that was becoming more common in the parks.
She stressed that the cameras are nothing more than license plate readers. A list of frequently asked questions compiled by Metro Parks and shared with the Beacon Journal emphasizes that the cameras aren’t equipped with facial recognition technology.
“For this reason,” Smith said, “they are not currently located near trails nor would we ever put them on our trails.”
What are Flock cameras?
Summit Metro Parks doesn’t share Flock data with federal agencies, Smith said, or out-of-state agencies.
“Data collected by Flock cameras is owned and controlled by the agency or organization that operates the cameras —not by Flock Safety,” the FAQ states. “Flock does not access, sell, or share data without explicit permission. Agencies own 100% of their data, and it would never be sold or shared without authorization.”
The FAQ explains that Flock doesn’t share data with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement or any agency under the Department of Homeland Security. Data-sharing with outside agencies is left up to the agency owning the data.
Flock cameras collect images of vehicles, including their license plates and other characteristics, according to the FAQ.
License plate reader data is only retained by Flock for 30 days by default, the FAQ said, after which it’s permanently deleted. If required by law, or approved by a “democratically elected governing body,” extended retention is available.
“There is no back‑door access for federal agencies; all collaboration is the customer’s choice,” the FAQ said. “Additionally, federal agencies cannot join or use the national or state lookup tools, which are reciprocal sharingnetworks.”
Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com or 330-541-9413.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Summit park district says Flock cameras help reduce thefts near trails
Reporting by Derek Kreider, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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By Derek Kreider, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
