Flock is an Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) system that uses cameras to automatically read government-issued license plates in public areas. As vehicles pass by the cameras, the system automatically reads and records their license plate numbers. The technology uses optical character recognition (OCR) to extract the plate information, along with details such as, date and time of the vehicle's passage, vehicle make, model, and color. The system does not use facial recognition and does not provide or store personal identifying information like names, addresses, or dates of birth of anyone associated with the license plate.

The Englewood Police Department uses Flock solely for legitimate law enforcement purposes, including criminal investigations, finding missing or endangered persons, Amber Alerts, and tracking stolen vehicles. The technology is not used for traffic enforcement, code compliance, civil immigration enforcement, or general surveillance. The data can only be accessed for criminal justice purposes. Every search is logged and auditable.

On a limited basis, yes. Like other criminal justice records, we share our Flock data with other Colorado law enforcement agencies and most of them share their data with us. All requests to share access to our data must be approved by a Division Chief.  Subsequent requests for data are then logged, and tracked through strict audit trails.

For a list of all agencies we share our data with, please see the info below.

Organizations granted access to Englewood Police Department data

Arapahoe County Sheriff, Archuleta County Sheriff, Arvada PD, Aurora PD, Avon PD, Boulder PD, Boulder County Sheriff, Breckenridge PD, Brighton PD, Broomfield PD, Castle Rock PD, Chaffee County Sheriff, Cherry Hills Village PD, Cheyenne County Sheriff, Clear Creek County Sheriff, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Colorado Springs  PD, Colorado State Parks, Commerce City PD, Custer County Sheriff, Dacono PD, Denver PD, Douglas County Sheriff, Douglas County Open Spaces & Natural Resources, Durango PD, Eaton PD, Edgewater PD, El Paso Sheriff, Elizabeth PD, Firestone PD, Fort Collins PD, Fountain PD, Fraser/Winter Park PD, Frederick PD, Garfield County Sheriff, Georgetown PD, Glenwood Springs PD, Golden PD, Grand County Sheriff, Grand Junction PD, Greeley PD, Gunnison County Sheriff, Hayden PD, Hotchkiss PD, Hudson PD, Idaho Springs PD, Jefferson County Sheriff, Johnstown PD, Keenesburg PD, Kiowa County Sheriff, Lafayette PD, Lakewood PD, Larimer County Sheriff, Las Animas County Sheriff, Lochbuie PD, Lone Tree PD, Longmont PD, Loveland PD, Mead PD, Mesa County Sheriff, Moffat County Sheriff, Montrose PD,  Monument PD, Morrison PD, Mountain Village PD, Navajo State Park, Northglenn PD, Parker PD, Pueblo PD, Rangely PD, Routt County Sheriff, Salida PD, Silt PD, Steamboat Springs PD, Summit County Sheriff, Telluride PD, Thornton PD, Timnath PD, Town of Lyons CO, Town of Superior CO, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus PD, Vail PD, Weld County Sheriff, Westminster PD, Windsor PD.

While the data is stored on Flock's servers, the Englewood Police Department retains all rights and the ability to determine who has access to our data. The Englewood Police Department controls the “sharing with other agencies” of images captured by Englewood cameras and who has access to them. All searches are recorded and logged with details that include the user and the reason for the search. Only Colorado agencies can search for Englewood Police images and must provide a reason for doing so. The Englewood “Community Safety” trailer cameras are not discoverable by any other agencies and do not contain ALPR technology.  

The Englewood Police Department can access network audit features at any time and review searches, including information such as ID, Agency, time, reason, associated case number, and search type.

The Englewood Police Department and employees control access to our images. Federal agencies do not have direct access to the system.

Multiple safeguards protect against misuse. Flock has put safeguards in place for Colorado agencies that block searches with an immigration reason, including keywords that apply. The search page has been modified to prompt the user to enter an offense type, a reason, and a case number for all searches. All searches, both internal and external are recorded and logged with details that include the user and the reason for the search. Data captured from Flock Safety devices is encrypted and transmitted securely to the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) compliant cloud, which meets all federal security standards.  That information is stored in that location for 30 days on a rolling basis. 

Per Colorado State Senate Bill 25-276 restricting local government’s use of information in connection with federal immigration enforcement, Flock has removed all Colorado agencies cameras data from searched performed for certain immigration related reasons, such as immigration enforcement and deportation. This filter applies to all searched performed on any networks, whether by EPD employees or external agencies who have access to our network.  

CRT 1060

Please provide details about the number and placement selection criteria for Flock cameras in Englewood. Are Flock cameras used in police vehicles? How is data from Englewood’s Flock cameras accessed, shared, and safeguarded by both EPD and the company that maintains the data?

Camera Number, Placement, and Selection Criteria

Fixed – Ten (10) mounted cameras that are semi-permanent in that they require a technician to move from one location to another. The cameras have permits where required, are mounted on roadside poles, and capture images of vehicles passing on public roadways.

The placement criteria were determined on traffic flows and volume to capture vehicles entering the city of Englewood and in locations identified as having a high likelihood of capturing criminal activity. This enables more effective alert detection and increases the likelihood of identifying suspect vehicles associated with criminal activity.

Flex – Two (2) mobile cameras that can be easily relocated for investigative needs.

Trailer – Mobile trailer with three cameras and a loudspeaker attached.  The unit is an overt asset designated for public events, high-crime areas, and general crime deterrence. The trailer is marked and records live video but does not have automated license plate recognition (ALPR) or vehicle recognition capabilities.

Are Flock cameras used in Police vehicles?

Flock cameras are not mounted in police vehicles. However, Officers can receive alerts on vehicles with associated wants and warrants on their computers/phones while in patrol vehicles. The camera's alert system is based on lawful license plate information. In effect, the technology “clears” the plate in the same way an Officer on patrol does and pushes the information to their computers/phones. The images do not capture any occupants' faces and are retained for only 30 days.

Data access, sharing, and safeguarding

• All data recorded is from public areas and public roadways and does not capture people or faces.
• Alerts are auto-generated from CCIC information, therefore not accessed by the search feature.

Englewood Police Employees:

The images that Flock cameras record are accessible to Englewood Police Employees who are granted access by the Englewood Police Department. Each user is assigned to a group with specific permissions based on their job role and position within the department. The Police employees can limit their search to Englewood-specific cameras or expand it to camera networks that have agreed to share their network images. The expanded search is critical when investigating suspects who often travel outside the city limits of Englewood.

Outside Agencies:

The Englewood Police Department controls the “sharing with other agencies” of images captured by Englewood cameras and who has access to them. All searches are recorded and logged with details that include the user and the reason for the search.

Only Colorado agencies can search for Englewood Police images and must provide a reason for doing so. Our fixed and flex camera networks are discoverable to agencies outside of Colorado, but individual access must be granted by EPD. The Englewood trailer cameras are not discoverable by any other agencies.

The Englewood Police Department can access network audit features at any time and review searches, including information such as ID, Agency, time, reason, associated case number, and search type.

Flock has put safeguards in place for Colorado agencies that block searches with an immigration reason, including keywords that apply. The search page has been modified to prompt the user to enter an offense type, a reason, and a case number for all searches.

The Englewood Police Department and employees control access to our images. Federal agencies do not have direct access to the system.

PLEASE ALSO REVIEW THE 3 PRIOR COUNCIL REQUESTS ON FLOCK SAFETY FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.  THEY ARE INCLUDED BELOW.

• How many Flock cameras are in use in Englewood?
• 13, including the portable camera trailer.
• How many are considered permanent and how many are mobile?
• 10 are considered permanent, 2 are mobile cameras and 1 is a Community Safety camera trailer (Not equipped with an automatic license plate reader -ALPR). 
• All Flock devices are placed in public places such as neighborhood parks, parking lots, public roadways and shopping districts which are  critical focal points for enhanced safety measures.  These tools act as visible deterrents and offer valuable real-time data, enabling more effective police monitoring and response. 
• Where is the data transmitted to, processed, viewed, stored, who can access it, for what purposes, and what period of time. 
• Data captured from Flock Safety devices is encrypted and transmitted securely to the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) compliant cloud, which meets all federal security standards.  That information is stored in that location for 30 days on a rolling basis. 
• Per Colorado State Senate Bill 25-276 restricting local government’s use of information in connection with federal immigration enforcement, Flock has removed all Colorado agencies cameras data from searched performed for certain immigration related reasons, such as immigration enforcement and deportation. This filter applies to all searched performed on any networks, whether by EPD employees or external agencies who have access to our network. 
• Flock Safety data can be reviewed by members of the Englewood Police Department on Flock’s CJIS compliant cloud.   The data can be accessed for criminal justice purposes including criminal investigations. 
• Many Flock Safety devices are privately owned and operated by businesses and homeowner associations.  These associations then share their data with law local law enforcement.  (Englewood does not currently have any privately owned cameras within the City.)
• As stated before, Flock Safety ALPR devices do not take photographs of people faces or use any facial recognition. The photos taken are of the rear of vehicles that pass Flock Safety ALPR devices.  That information is cross indexed with CCIC/NCIC data on stolen vehicles, persons with warrant for their arrest and other “hot list” indicators.  That information is then passed along in real time to law enforcement personnel that are logged into the Flock Safety system.
• How many stolen cars were recovered due to the Flock cameras in Englewood in the last two months? 
• A hand search of patrol reports for the last two months in which “Flock” was mentioned in reports revealed:
• 5 Flock alerts in which stolen cars were recovered.  In 3 of those recoveries, arrests were made. This includes a recovery of a vehicle that was taken in an armed carjacking in Denver.  EPD officers located the vehicle, a vehicle pursuit ensued and officers utilized a tactical intervention to disable the vehicle.  2 handguns and illegal narcotics were also located during this arrest.
• 7 Flock alerts in which officers responded to the locations of the alerts, but were unable to locate the vehicle in question.
• 3 alerts in which the vehicle in question was located, but eluded officers.
• 1 Hit and Run alert – Stopped and Identified the driver per the alert from Littleton.
• 1 Assault Investigation – Attempt to locate suspect. Not located
• 1 Missing Person Investigation – Attempt to locate missing person. Not located.
• 1 Robbery Investigation – Attempt to locate suspect vehicle. Not located.
• 1 Hit and Run Investigation – Attempt to locate suspect vehicle. Not located.
• 1 Motor Vehicle Theft just occurred – Not located

This list did not include any follow up investigations by the Detective Bureau that involved Flock Safety.

How does the Flock camera system work? For instance, can it be used to find a car matching a description like the recent hit and run, or is it just for reading license plates? Do the cameras record at all times or just capture license plates and/or cars matching a specific description?

Flock Safety is a system that uses automated license plate recognition (ALPR) technology to enhance safety and security in Englewood. It involves a network of cameras and software that capture and analyze vehicle data, providing law enforcement with valuable information about vehicle movements. Englewood is one of the many police departments throughout the Metro area to use Flock Safety. 

Many private businesses and other government entities also subscribe to and use Flock Safety, to include Lowe’s and Home Depot stores, Foothills Parks and Recreation and many Homeowners Associations. 

Here's a breakdown of how it works:

Flock Safety installs high-definition cameras in strategic locations around neighborhoods, streets, or other areas of concern. These cameras are typically mounted on poles or other structures and are designed to capture license plates from passing vehicles.

As vehicles pass by the cameras, the system automatically reads and records their license plate numbers. The technology uses optical character recognition (OCR) to extract the plate information, along with details such as:

• Date and time of the vehicle's passage
• Vehicle make, model, and color

The captured data is sent to a secure cloud-based platform where it is stored. This data includes the license plate numbers and additional vehicle details. It can be accessed by authorized users, such as law enforcement or the private entity subscribing to the service.

If a vehicle of interest, such as one associated with a crime or missing person, passes through a Flock Safety camera, the system sends real-time alerts to Englewood Police Officers. This enables them to take immediate action based on the location of the “hit.”

Law enforcement or authorized users can search through the captured data to identify specific vehicles that may have been involved in criminal activity, traffic accidents, or other criminal events. They can filter by license plate numbers, dates, times, or vehicle details.

Flock Safety is designed with privacy in mind. It does not store personal data or images of drivers or passengers. Only the vehicle's license plate number and related metadata are recorded, ensuring that the system focuses on vehicle activity rather than individual privacy. The system maintains this data for 30 days before it is deleted from the system.

Flock Safety's primary goal is to prevent crime and aid in investigations. By tracking vehicles, missing persons and and sharing data with local law enforcement, it helps solve cases more efficiently, recover stolen vehicles, identify suspects, and even prevent future incidents by serving as a deterrent.

• Enhanced community safety through real-time alerts and better data collection.
• Faster law enforcement response times with automatic identification of suspicious vehicles.
• Increased security by acting as a deterrent to potential criminals who know the area is being monitored.
• Improved investigations due to easily searchable historical data. (for the last 30 days)

I have also included CRT 0795 below which answers this request as well.

How much of the Flock Camera system do we utilize? My research into this system notes it can provide facial recognition for law enforcement, track people’s movements, and be shared with other agencies worldwide for crime prevention. And, are the cameras at Walmart and King Soopers tied to the Flock system?

The Englewood Police Department currently has 10 fixed Flock Safety Cameras and 2 mobile Flock safety camera systems.  The Flock Safety system does not provide any facial recognition, nor can it track an individual person’s movements. 

Flock Safety cameras are technology that places a stationary camera at strategic points within a jurisdiction.  This camera takes an image of the rear of every vehicle that passes the camera.  The camera does not take a picture of the face of the driver.  The camera works as a license plate reader and alerts law enforcement to a list of 12 possible reasons in CCIC (Colorado Crime Information Center):

• Attempt to Locate
• Car Jacking
• Felony Warrant
• Local Warrant
• Misdemeanor
• Missing Person
• Reported Lost
• Sexual Offender
• Stolen Plate
• Stolen Vehicle
• Used in a Felony
• Used in a Misdemeanor
• Missing Child

The camera also takes an electronic “fingerprint” of every vehicle that passes, to include the plate number, vehicle make, model and color, and modifications to the vehicle such as bumper stickers, luggage racks, etc. This information is stored for 30 days and then purged from the Flock Safety cloud.  Investigators can then use this information to track down leads in criminal cases, missing/endangered children, and many other “real time” criminal investigations. 

In a real time scenario, a jurisdiction can enter suspect vehicle information (Not only the plate number, but even the description of the vehicle) into Flock and that information can be relayed to every Flock user if a possible suspect vehicle “hits” on a location.  This is useful in ongoing investigations, as well as property and person’s crimes in which we have limited suspect information.

We share Flock Safety information with other Colorado law enforcement agencies, and they share their information with the Englewood Police Department.

The camera systems at King Soopers and Walmart are not affiliated with Flock Safety.