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As wariness (and outright anger) over the use of Flock cameras in our communities increases, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson is right to be joining organizations such as the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio in seeking greater regulation of the surveillance devices.
Investigations, including those by news organizations such as the Ohio Capital Journal, have turned up multiple instances of misusing the data.
Further, the Capital Journal's public records search of Shaker Heights' license plate reader data over approximately four months showed the data was accessed more than 700,000 times. Only 1,016 instances were by the Shaker Police Department.
Other law enforcement agencies in Ohio and across the country wanted to check the data, for various reasons, including 282 times in which the reason listed was "immigration," and 32 times that ICE was mentioned.
That's a lot more than checking for traffic and toll violations. But there is no penalty at all in Ohio for misuse of Flock camera data. Wilson says it should be a felony.
"We need a piece of legislation that requires each and every department or agency that uses Flock cameras to have a very strict policy on how those cameras are used," Wilson told the Capital Journal. "We need legislation that requires agencies to conduct ongoing auditing of use to find or ferret out misuse of this resource. A person who misuses this should never ever be able to wear a badge again. They violated the trust, they violated civil liberties, and they should never be put in a position of trust or responsibility with respect to public safety again."
Those are powerful words, and lawmakers should act on them.
They'll get a chance, if a bill by state Sen. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, comes before them. It would, among other things, require outside agencies to get a warrant to search Flock data and restrict camera placement.
"Just like anything else, you can't tap somebody's phone without a warrant. OK, you shouldn't be able to access at the whim of anybody's curiosity," Cutrona told the Capital Journal.
The FOP also says rules should be set in place, and that there are issues to be addressed.
If Wilson is serious about making sure Ohio does not become "China or a 'Nanny State,'" he'll have to keep up his push against misuse of cameras that "on the surface ... appear to conflict with that concept of that principle" (meaning civil liberty and "our individual rights over an oppressive or intrusive government).
It shouldn't take lawmakers long to understand they've got little choice but to pass stricter regulation of Flock cameras and data use as quickly as possible.
SCRIPTURE
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 NIV