MIDDLETOWN – Residents of several communities around the nation – and locally in the City of Newburgh – don’t like Flock brand street camera/license plate reader technology. Many residents believe the technology is used to spy on residents and can be shared with federal ICE agents.
In Poughkeepsie and Middletown, city police officials say they are an extremely effective tool.
Middletown Police Chief John Ewanciw the technology is one of the best tools to solve crimes.
“There are tremendous amounts of license plate reader technology out there, all different companies. Flock is getting all of the attention right now and everybody has their own opinion with that. With me I think it is an extremely useful tool better,” he said. “There are safeguards built into it so that if we need to run an audit, if we feel that someone has done something wrong, if we feel that someone is using it inappropriately, we have the ability to reach that by the individual, by the car, by the time, by the date.”
In Newburgh, city officials plan on researching other companies that perform similar services.
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