Flock Cameras Have Arrived On Nantucket: What Are They, And Why Are They Here?
David Creed •
There is a strong likelihood that you have been at the intersection of Easy Street and Broad Street recently and if you have, you may have noticed a pair of cameras attached to a pole adjacent to 27 Steamboat Wharf. Those are known as Flock cameras – which is an automated license plate reader made by a public safety technology company called Flock Safety. The cameras use artificial intelligence to gather and process images and data on motor vehicles.
Flock describes itself as a company “that builds connected camera, audio, and investigative systems to help communities respond to and investigate safety incidents using objective evidence.” These cameras are typically mounted on infrastructure such as utility poles and streetlights along public roads, neighborhood entrances, or parking areas. They are primarily solar-powered but can also be AC powered. They are LTE-connected.
Unlike security cameras that are continuously recording or traditional traffic enforcement cameras that issue tickets for speeding (or red-light violations on the mainland), Flock cameras are motion-activated. They are primarily designed to capture vehicles as they pass. They take a snapshot focused on the vehicle and use AI/computer vision to extract and log key details such as license plate numbers, the make/model/color/body type of a vehicle, date/time/location of the capture, and various distinguishing features such as dents, scratches, bumper stickers, bike racks, trailers, or other modifications that can more uniquely identify one vehicle from others.
The cameras pictured above appear to be license plate readers. According to the Flock’s website, the cameras provide “instant alerts on flagged vehicles so (law enforcement) can act before the damage is done” and allows criminal/court cases to be closed faster due to more clear footage of vehicles.
Why Nantucket in particular has decided to have these cameras implemented is unclear, however the typical benefits and purposes of installing Flock cameras are to assist with solving crimes and traffic monitoring. It is unclear whether these cameras are a part of a booked demo with Flock or a permanent installation.
The Current has reached out to the Nantucket Police Department in an effort to learn more about what these cameras are, their capabilities, why they are needed here on Nantucket, and their intended use. Lieutenant Angus MacVicar deferred questions to Deputy Police Chief Charlie Gibson. We are awaiting his response.
Across the country, there have been numerous people arrested and many cases solved using this technology, which has led to over 5,000 law enforcement agencies and 6,000 communities utilizing the cameras.
But the cameras have also drawn national scrutiny with people accusing their implementation as an invasion of privacy. The Boston Globe recently reported on the controversy, where Massachusetts residents told the publication these cameras have “crossed a line.”
The Town’s communications manager – Florencia Rullo – told the Current on Tuesday that the Nantucket Police Department’s staff is working on providing answers to the Current’s submitted questions.
