Henrico County: 120 Cameras Gone

More than 120 Flock cameras disappeared from Henrico County, Virginia, on Saturday. County Manager John Vithoulkas confirmed the removal. The county took the equipment down itself after Flock failed to meet its contractual obligation to remove the units. The poles holding the cameras remain in place. Officials said it is still Flock's responsibility to remove those poles.

Henrico ended its use of Flock cameras last month. The decision followed privacy concerns. The company was supposed to remove the cameras within two weeks of the contract ending. That deadline passed without the equipment being taken down. The county acted after Flock missed that window.

The shift began in mid-October. Henrico police cut ties with the automatic license plate reader technology after consulting with other leaders. Officials cited feedback from residents, police, and experts regarding the benefits of the technology and the risks of data access. The Henrico Board of Supervisors described the move as preventative. There was no evidence that Henrico police misused the system.

Rev. Roscoe D. Cooper III, chairman of the Henrico Board of Supervisors, addressed the timing. He stated, “Rather be proactive than reactive. And we’re aware of the conversations that are occurring nationally, as well as on the state level. And we just, again, felt that this was the right time to make this decision.” The technology has faced public criticism over privacy and potential misuse.

The county posted about the decision on social media on Oct. 6. It noted that police ended the relationship by mid-October. The removal of the cameras marks the end of the system's operation in the county. The physical poles will remain until Flock removes them.