COLUMBIA, MO (KMIZ)

The Columbia Police Department held a series of meetings Wednesday to gather public feedback on the implementation of the Flock security camera system throughout the city.

A series of eight meetings was scheduled between Wednesday and Thursday. The first was held at 9 a.m. at Lange Middle School on Wednesday with the final meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Boone Electric Community Room on Thursday.

Police Chief Jill Schlude said the goal is to answer any questions the public may have and address any concerns. CPD is too accepting public feedback on BeHeardCoMo.gov through September 10.

Fleet security cameras are designed to capture license plate images in a variety of conditions, including night time and severe weather, according to its website. The cameras use automatic license plate readers to provide real-time alerts to law enforcement. The data may be shared between multiple law enforcement agencies to assist with investigations.

During Wednesday’s presentation at the Daniel Boone Regional Library, CPD said ALPR was used to help track down three suspects in Oklahoma who are accused in last year’s shooting death on Dove Drive.

The cameras can read license plates and determine car make and model, but Flock claims the cameras do not capture identifiable images of people or faces. CPD says the cameras would also not be used for traffic control.

More than 200 agencies across Missouri already use herd cameras, including Jefferson City Police Department, Lee’s Summit, Webster Grove PD, Cape Girardeau PD, O’Fallon PD and St. Charles County Sheriff’s Office, according to Wednesday’s presentation. The city of Fulton entered into an agreement with Flock in February, according to previous reporting.

“It’s hard to be in my job right now and not know about Flock with 200-plus agencies in Missouri. We’re kind of extreme now that we don’t use it, honestly,” Schlude told ABC 17 News. “I think it it was natural that this conversation has come up in Columbia now.”

Data from the cameras is only stored for 30 days. CPD has already drawn up a policy for the department to ensure that the technology is used appropriately.

Schlude said she would like to see quarterly public audits of how the cameras were used, to ensure no one is abusing the system and taking advantage of it for personal gain. CPD would have the ability to see which other law enforcement agencies are using its data from the cameras.

Schlude could not provide a cost estimate, citing ongoing negotiations. But Flock representatives who presented at Wednesday’s meeting said the City of Columbia and Public Works would not be responsible for installing the cameras. All training, installation and maintenance would be provided by Flock.

If approved by the City Council, Schlude estimates the cameras could be active as soon as four to six months. The city would have to go through a lengthy permitting process with the Missouri Department of Transportation before they could install the cameras.

According to CPD, four of the five security cameras they have available Downtown are not working, which has limited some of the investigative work they are doing.

“Safety (in) Downtown is a big issue. I think it’s important to have this kind of system downtown, especially because we want people to feel safe to be in our business district day or night, frankly,” said Schlude. “With the amount of students that live Downtown, I think it’s important that parents feel like their kids are coming to school in a place where there’s an extra layer of safety. If something happens, hopefully we can solve the crime and bring them to justice. But the camera not working has been a big obstacle.”

CPD laid out a plan that would include replacing the five downtown security cameras with live-feed cameras from Flock that can pan, tilt and zoom. Thirteen license plate reader cameras would be spread across Albert-Oakland Park, the Garth Nature Area, the Cosmopolitan Recreational Area, the MTK Trail and the Gans Creek Recreational Area. Eight license plate readers will also be placed on Highway 63 and eight more on Interstate 70.

Each ward will also receive a handful of cameras and crossover packs from Flock. An intersection package consists of four number plate reading cameras and two fixed live-feed cameras. Here is the breakdown by department.

• Section 1:
  • 3 cross pack
  • 0 license plate reader
• Section 2:
  • 2 crossover packages
  • 4 license plate readers
• Section 3:
  • 3 cross pack
  • 2 license plate readers
• Section 4
  • 3 cross pack
  • 0 license plate reader
• Section 5
  • 1 crossover package
  • 2 license plate readers
• Section 6
  • 2 crossover packages
  • 4 license plate readers

CPD has previously proposed using a camera system in Columbia called Fusus, which the municipal council rejected after the community’s reversal at a council meeting in November 2022. The council voted 4-3 against using that surveillance software.

Community feedback meetings on Thursday will be held at:

• 9 a.m. – Crossing Church Student Center Room 320, 3615 Southland Drive
• Noon – City Hall Council Chambers, 701 E. Broadway
• 3pm – Gentry Middle School Media Center, 4200 Bethel Street
• 7pm – Boone Electric Community Room, 1413 Range Line Street

Check back for updates.