OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — After a trial-run with the company Flock Safety, the sheriff's office is signing a new contract to continue the use of 25 automatic license plate reader cameras positioned throughout Douglas County.
- The sheriff's office says the cameras have helped them solve some crimes quicker.
- “Through that trial we found a lot of success ranging from stolen vehicles to burglaries to thefts, property being returned to victims, felony assaults, even murder cases.”
- ACLU Nebraska argues that the technology could violate peoples privacy, but the Sheriff's Office says they take privacy very seriously and have regulations and state laws in place to ensure it.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) is signing a new contract with the company Flock, which provides the agency with automatic license plate reader cameras, but some say it violates people’s privacy. 3 News Now is learning how the cameras work and how they’re regulated to protect people’s privacy.
Almost as soon as these cameras were installed deputies used them to solve a crime.
"Summer of 22' we had a construction theft in West Omaha…"
Investigators were looking for a green van they say was involved in a theft and within an hour, they found it using footage from the Flock camera.
“It resulted in the recovery of the stolen property from that case and also a case within Omaha Police Department that was solved based off that information,” said Sergeant John Mcfarland, DCSO supervisor of property crimes unit.
The county started using them on a trial basis two years ago — Leaders wanted to see if they'd help deputies solve more cases.
“Through that trial we found a lot of success ranging from stolen vehicles to burglaries to thefts, property being returned to victims, felony assaults, even murder cases,” said DCSO Chief Will Niemack.
Now, 25 cameras are installed near roads in unincorporated Douglas County, not in cities.
And while the technology is subject to state law, ACLU Nebraska says the risks out way the benefits.
“And while you know policy safeguards like that are helpful it doesn’t completely protect people’s information from breach, or abuse or a misuse or errors that could result in legal action against certain people”, said Jane Seu, a legal policy counsel for ACLU Nebraska.
“The information that is obtained is used for investigative purposes only, law enforcement only purposes and that means that it prohibits the usage for any reason other than a case derived reason,” said the chief.
Drivers we talked with, not worried about another lens in their life.
"There's cameras everywhere, I mean my house has got three or four cameras on it so there's no privacy," said Steven Schonert.
"I just think we should be doing more, being more proactive,” said Mary Wilson.
If you have a question or something you want 3 News Now to investigate regarding these cameras, email jillian.lamkins@3newsnow.com.
