Resident urges stricter county controls for Flock license-plate readers

Mark Russell, a Union County resident, urged the Board of Commissioners on May 4 to require stronger county controls for the sheriff’s department license-plate reader (ALPR) program.

Russell said he reviewed policy 334, adopted by the sheriff’s office on March 17, and the Flock vendor contract, and found the county policy “lists the nine areas the general assembly requires. But rather than laying out how Union County governs this surveillance system, it states that all items are addressed in the Flock vendor contract and are incorporated by reference.” He added, “the sheriff's office has outsourced its compliance with state law to an $8.4 billion tech company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.”

Russell told the board the contract he reviewed contained no training requirements for deputies, no oversight structure, no annual audit and no data-sharing rules, and he called those gaps a liability for the sheriff’s office and the county. He sought three things from the county: a substantive county policy with Union County–specific provisions, an annual effectiveness audit before future funding, and that any future ALPR items be placed on the business agenda for full board review.

County staff acknowledged receipt of Russell’s comparison document and asked him to leave it with the clerk for follow-up. The board did not take immediate action on policy changes during the meeting; Russell asked that any future appropriations for the program be contingent on meeting those compliance items.

The transcript notes the county had budgeted $288,000 for the program in December; Russell asked that the board confirm the program meets General Assembly requirements before approving further appropriations.