Santa Cruz cuts Flock cameras over data sharing concerns with agencies like ICE

For the last two years, flock cameras in Fresno have assisted police in several crime cases.

But last week, the City of Santa Cruz discovered the same technology is assisting other agencies outside its city, like Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

There are 70 flock cameras located in Fresno, according to the Fresno Police Department.

“We were unwillingly involved in a national search tool that was offered by the Flock system,” said the Santa Cruz Chief of Police Bernie Escalante.

The city of Santa Cruz is cutting ties with Flock safety cameras over strong community pushback and concerns about where the information was going.

According to the city report, out-of-state agencies, including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE, may have had access to that information.

“What I have seen is in the network audit data other entities outside California and inside California that have listed Customs and Border Protection as part of their rationale for making this search, to me that implies some sort of collaboration with those entities,” said the District Attorney for the City of Santa Cruz.

Despite using that exact system in Fresno, Fresno Police Lieutenant Larry Bowlen says they’re not seeing that here.

“We only work with a couple of handfuls of agencies up and down the central valley, where we would share information with them from our cameras, and they could share with us. We do not deal with any other state, federal, or local municipality or sheriff agencies across the country,” said Bowlen.

Fresno police say flock cameras have helped fight crime in the city.

“The officers are looking for that suspect vehicle. All of a sudden, it hits a couple of miles up the street. We start sending our resources that way. So I know we have made some arrests based on those.” Bowlen said.

Fresno police saying over all, the cameras are doing more good than harm for the community.

“We’ve been very happy with them, and we haven’t had any issues that are concerning to us, or that people have reached out on that we haven’t been able to answer,” said Bowlen.

Despite heavy pushback from people in other cities, FOX26 asked the Fresno PD if they plan to renew their contract.

Fresno police say that since their current contract ends this year, they will decide whether to sign a new contract depending on their budget.