ELYRIA, Ohio — Investigators in Lorain County say vandals have targeted Flock cameras in a damage spree spanning the county. The vandalism comes as debate grows over the controversial surveillance tool.
From the rolling farmland on its southern county line to busier residential areas, Flock cameras in Lorain County are battered, smashed and even missing.
“We’ve had one shot, we’ve had several cut off the pole and then the suspects are taking some type of blunt object to the solar panels,” explained major Steve Scharschmidt at the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office.
He said since July 9, the county’s Flock cameras have been vandalized at least five times.
“We’re at a point where five [cameras damaged], two of them at one location; we may have to set up special details,” he said.
Police in Amherst, Lorain and Elyria reported similar vandalism in recent weeks.
News 5 also covered a string of similar damage in Ashland County.
RELATED: Suspected vandals target Ashland Flock cameras
On Saturday night, Elyria Police said it arrested a 22-year-old man for intentionally damaging a camera on Infirmary Road. He’s now charged with vandalism and possessing criminal tools, which are both fifth-degree felonies and can result in six to 12 months in prison.
“With these cameras being damaged, it kind of hampers us with investigations. They’re a very helpful tool,” said Scharschmidt.
He credits the license plate readers with helping investigators recover stolen vehicles, find missing people and track down a suspect in a recent homicide case.
But Flock has also come under fire recently, as some consider the surveillance tools a violation of privacy.
“I think one of the reasons you’re seeing people going after the Flock cameras themselves, as opposed to engaging in a political discussion or legal discussion about it, is the sense of frustration,” said Michael Benza, a law professor of practice at Case Western Reserve University.
He said it’s turned into a debate over Fourth Amendment protections from unreasonable searches and seizures.
In Cleveland, a group that calls itself “Flock No” formed to push back against the city’s contract with the company, saying no meaningful change in crime statistics outweighed the privacy concerns.
RELATED: Cleveland City Council Safety Committee blocks Flock
News 5 investigators uncovered numerous outside agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), accessing the Flock system in Shaker Heights.
The data led to policy changes in that city.
Benza anticipates the conversation will eventually require court rulings.
“As this issue becomes more solidified in the conversations, you’re probably going to see changes. Also, as more people realize what this technology is for and how it works,” he said. “But this is just as much a political and social issue as it is a legal issue.”
Some in law enforcement believe the technology is misunderstood. Scharschmidt said there are guardrails to protect against misuse and parameters guiding how the system is accessed.
“Big Brother’s not watching you. You’re a law-abiding citizen, you have zero concerns. But it is doing things and helping with solving crimes,” he said. “I think the key is education. So when we rolled these out some time ago, maybe we didn’t educate as much as we potentially should have.”
He said the sheriff’s office is working with other law enforcement partners to determine if the vandalism is connected.
Catherine Ross is the Lorain County reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @CatherineRossTV, on Facebook CatherineRossTV or email her at Catherine.Ross@wews.com.
