CLEVELAND — Cleveland’s network of Flock Safety license plate reader cameras was initially scheduled to officially go offline on Monday after the Cleveland City Council’s Public Safety Committee voted against extending the city’s contract, but the system hasn't gone dark yet, as expected.
Despite the contract ending without renewal, there is a grace period during which the cameras remain operational. In the meantime, this will allow the city to give the contract another look.
The decision not to renew follows months of heated debate over the cameras’ effectiveness, cost and privacy concerns. The committee voted 3-1 to reject Mayor Justin Bibb’s request to renew the contract.
Shutting the cameras off would have ended the city’s use of the license plate reader technology that has been in place since the summer of 2023.
Cleveland Police leaders argued, though, that the cameras had become a valuable investigative tool.
According to police, investigators used the cameras thousands upon thousands of times.
The system assisted in locating missing people, identifying hit-and-run suspects, investigating street takeovers and solving major crimes.
However, opponents say the cameras did little to prevent actual crime while raising significant privacy concerns.
The grassroots community group "Flock No" has repeatedly argued that the camera network amounts to serious overreach and should be removed altogether.
Cleveland Public Safety Director Wayne Drummond defended the program, saying the city had not received complaints about improper use of the system.
Councilman Mike Polensek questioned whether the cameras were producing measurable results.
Had the city approved a contract extension, officials estimated it would have cost roughly $250,000.
Cleveland City Council is expected to revisit the issue in July for additional discussion.
