Henrico County removes 120 Flock cameras after company fails to pull units

Henrico County, Virginia, dismantled more than 120 Flock automatic license plate reader cameras on Saturday. County Manager John Vithoulkas confirmed the removal occurred over the weekend. Officials stated they had to pull the equipment themselves because Flock did not meet its contractual obligation to do so.

The county ended its use of the Flock system in October. Police cut ties with the technology by mid-October after discussions with other leaders. The decision followed feedback from residents, officers, and experts regarding data access and privacy. Leaders described the move as preventative, noting there was no evidence of police misuse of the system.

Flock agreed to remove the cameras within two weeks of the contract ending. That deadline passed without the units being taken down. Officials said the poles holding the cameras remain in place. Flock is responsible for removing those poles.

Rev. Roscoe D. Cooper III, chairman of the Henrico Board of Supervisors, explained the timing of the decision. “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,” Cooper said. The county posted about the termination on social media on Oct. 6.

Crews completed the camera removal on Saturday. The poles remain standing. Flock must now proceed with its part of the removal process.