Flock Safety Cameras

The Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) uses Flock Safety cameras to help prevent and solve crime. Flock cameras are automated license plate readers (ALPR) that capture license plates and key vehicle characteristics, such as make and color. ALPRs also capture distinguishing features of a vehicle that help officers identify vehicles even when plates are missing, altered, or swapped. These features may include top or back racks, tool boxes, or stickers. 

ALPR technology is an investigative tool that enhances public safety while respecting individual rights. CCSO policies help ensure that ALPRs are used responsibly and constitutionally, with a strong focus on privacy and transparency. 

Clear Creek Sheriff's Office ALPR Policy

Flock Safety Transparency Portal

Why We Use ALPR Cameras

Flock cameras provide real-time alerts and investigative leads that help us:

  • Locate stolen vehicles
  • Identify and/or locate suspect vehicles in criminal investigations, including violent crimes
  • Identify and/or locate vehicles associated with missing or abducted people
  • Limit the need for high-risk traffic stops or escalating encounters

How ALPR Cameras Work

Flock cameras are placed in fixed locations throughout unincorporated areas of the county. They capture still images of passing vehicles, including the vehicle's:

  • License plate number, which is considered public information on public roadways
  • Make and color
  • Distinguishing features (i.e. bumper stickers, roof racks, damage, unique modifications)

The images are transmitted securely via encrypted cellular connection and are stored in a secure Flock Safety cloud environment. 

The cameras do not capture:

  • People/faces
  • Gender
  • Race/ethnicity
  • Video footage

Deputies and detectives are trained on the system to conduct searches based on information the cameras capture, such as license plate number, make and color, and/or distinguishing features. We cannot search Flock data for features the cameras do not capture, such as people, faces, gender, race, and ethnicity.

The system can also provide real-time alerts when vehicles associated with stolen property, active warrants, or missing person cases enter the county. These alerts allow for timely law enforcement response.

Privacy and Safeguards

The CCSO is committed to protecting individual privacy and ensuring this technology is used lawfully and responsibly. Our use of Flock cameras is governed by policies that protect against misuse. 

These protections include:

  • Data may only be accessed for legitimate law enforcement purposes; a legitimate reason must be provided for each search.
  • Data cannot be used for immigration enforcement, traffic enforcement based solely on an ALPR camera hit, or any non-law enforcement purpose.
  • All usage is logged and auditable.
  • Data is automatically deleted after 28 days, unless it is retained as evidence in an ongoing criminal investigation
  • Flock cameras do not track individuals or capture personal identifying information. 

Access to Flock data is limited to authorized personnel who have completed Flock training. Other law enforcement agencies may request access only if:

  • They are a participating Flock partner agency. Flock does not contract with any federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). 
  • The request is connected to an active criminal investigation.
  • Their use complies with all legal and policy requirements.

Safeguards that help ensure the CCSO's use of the Flock system and data is lawful and responsible include:

  • Mandatory training for all users
  • Routine audits of system access and searches
  • Automatic data deletion after 28 days, unless data is evidence in a criminal investigation
  • Strict policy compliance for all personnel who have access to Flock

Any misuse is investigated and subject to disciplinary action. 

Transparency

The CCSO is committed to transparency and we maintain a public Flock Transparency Portal. Visit the portal at https://transparency.flocksafety.com/clear-creek-county-co-so to see:

  • The number of cameras the CCSO has in use
  • Agencies that can access CCSO Flock data
  • Data on system searches
  • Statistics on the volume of vehicles captured
  • Policy information

The Flock Transparency Portal is updated daily.