APD Announces Tech Use Listening Sessions As City Debates Flock Camera Safety

ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Alexandria City Police Department has announced the dates of two community listening sessions on its use of technology, as city residents and the City Council continue to question the department about its automated license plate readers.

The sessions will be held on Sept. 24 at the James Duncan Jr. Branch Library from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and on Oct. 7 at the Patrick Henry Recreation Center from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

APD announced the listening sessions on social media, calling them “an opportunity to learn about APD’s use of technology, ask questions, share concerns, and provide feedback to help inform future decisions.”

The technology most citizens have been inquiring about recently is automated license plate readers: in this case, Flock cameras. The cameras have come under scrutiny nationwide, with Alexandria no exception. APD Chief Tarrick McGuire was queried at the Alexandria City Council’s Sept. 8 legislative meeting about the department’s contract with the camera provider, how camera data is stored, who has access to it and other topics.

Following that meeting, the department further restricted access to its cameras’ data, cutting off Virginia agencies that have cooperation agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The department recently provided written answers to some of the council’s questions on the cameras’ locations, uses, guardrails and contract details.

The department reports information about its Flock cameras through a public safety portal and a page on the Alexandria government website.

The cameras are a matter of heated debate in Northern Virginia and around the country. The town of Dumfries recently voted to block eight new cameras that were set to go live in September. Several members of Alexandria’s City Council have called for the city to abandon use of the cameras.

Fairfax County recently paused its Flock program and Arlington County canceled its use of the cameras.