The cities of Eugene and Springfield announced Friday evening that they would discontinue the use of AI-powered license plate cameras connected to the company called Flock Safety.
The announcements, issued in separate press releases, come after months of public pushback. Opponents said the cameras could be used to track innocent people and put vulnerable residents at risk of surveillance by federal agencies. Police argued the cameras were key in solving numerous cases, including some involving violent crime.
"Effective immediately, the Eugene Police Department has ended its contract with its current Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) vendor, Flock Safety," read the announcement from EPD, which was released at 7:20 p.m. Friday.
"The department has identified vulnerabilities and limitations that raise concerns about the system’s ability to meet EPD’s operational needs, data security requirements, and community expectations," the statement continued. "After further evaluation and internal discussion, the department has decided to discontinue the contract."
The announcement did not specify what would happen to the cameras themselves: just that the city's contract with Flock Safety would be terminated. After several months of operation, the city asked Flock to turn off the cameras in October.
In its announcement, the City of Springfield said the cameras—which had not been turned on—would be "covered" soon and then removed entirely.
Springfield's press release was issued at 8:18 p.m. Friday. It referenced the unspecified "vulnerabilities and limitations" that were cited by Eugene Police.
“Our responsibility is to safeguard both the integrity of investigative tools and the trust our community places in us,” Springfield Deputy Chief George Crolly said in the press release. “Given what we have learned, we do not have confidence that the current system provides the level of control and assurance we require.”
But Springfield Police did not rule out using ALPR technology in the future.
“ALPR remains a valuable tool for modern law enforcement," said Springfield Police Chief Jami Resch in the press release. "We will be seeking ALPR options that meet our standards for data security, system transparency, and operational control. As we move forward, we intend to continue our work with community members to ensure those expectations are clear and are met."
The cameras have faced pushback in a number of communities across Oregon. An unknown number of private companies use them as well, but at least one recently decided to move away from the technology, citing "questions and concerns" from the community.
Meanwhile, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office said at the end of October it had contracted, but not installed the cameras.
The announcement by Eugene and Springfield come as law enforcement, as recently as last week, touted the cameras as helping to solve and deter crime.
"While Eugene Police’s automated license plate readers (ALPRs) were in use, stolen vehicles were recovered 30% faster," read a Eugene Police Department press release from Nov. 26.
The announcements drew praise from Eyes off Eugene, a group that organized in opposition to the cameras.
Co-founder Ky Fireside, who is also running for a seat in the Oregon legislature, said members of the group were "elated" when news broke Friday evening in the organization's online discussion forum.
"Emojis (were) flying everywhere," said Fireside. "I'm very glad that both of the police departments have finally realized how dangerous and insecure these systems are."
Members of the group said their advocacy likely played a role in the decision.
"This is very wonderful and exciting victory for the people of Eugene and Springfield who have rejected Flock's dragnet surveillance," said Kamryn Stringfield. "Of course we now ask that the Lane County Sheriff take this as a signal to cancel his contract with Flock too, and we'd like to see see policies drafted that prevent this type of mass surveillance nightmare from occurring again."
