Address Flock Camera concerns in Culpeper, VA

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The Issue

I live in the beautiful town of Culpeper, VA, a place known for its vibrant community spirit and scenic surroundings. However, amidst our charming setting, a sense of unease has emerged due to the introduction of Flock Cameras in our streets. This concern is not mine alone; it impacts everyone driving through our town. While technological advancements aim to bolster security, we must carefully weigh their impacts on our privacy and civil liberties.

Flock Cameras, designed to monitor vehicle traffic, are touted as tools for enhancing safety and reducing crime. Yet, there is an underlying apprehension about their deployment that cannot be ignored. How is data collected? Who has access? How long is it kept? These are pertinent questions that demand transparent answers. Our fundamental right to privacy must not be compromised under the guise of security.

A study by the Electronic Frontier Foundation has raised concerns about the effectiveness and ethical considerations of surveillance technologies like Flock Cameras. It questions whether these systems significantly contribute to public safety improvements and highlights risks associated with mass data collection and potential misuse.

To ensure transparency and accountability, we urge the local government and law enforcement agencies to engage in open dialogue with the residents of Culpeper. We propose conducting public forums where community members can voice their concerns and seek clarity from authorities. Furthermore, we recommend that a review committee, comprising diverse representatives, be formed to oversee the operations, usage policies, and data management practices of these camera systems.

The safety of a community is a noble goal, but it should never come at the expense of individual freedoms and trust. By working together, we can find balanced solutions that prioritize both security and privacy, ensuring Culpeper remains a welcoming town for all.

Please sign this petition to support a comprehensive review and community discussion on the use of Flock Cameras in Culpeper, VA. Let's strive for transparency and protect our town's cherished values.

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Keith BrownPetition Starter
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The Decision Makers

Christopher Settle
Christopher Settle
Chief of Police - Town of Culpeper Police Department
Responded
“Good afternoon, The Culpeper Police Department has reviewed the petition that requested a response from citizens from this statement, “Please sign this petition to support a comprehensive review and community discussion on the use of Flock Cameras in Culpeper, VA. Let's strive for transparency and protect our town's cherished values.” Every officer has sworn an oath to abide by and protect the Constitution and ensure the protections of the Constitution are provided to all our citizens and visitors. This is a responsibility we do not take lightly. Each officer has been empowered with consequential authority to make decisions daily, up to the decision to take someone’s liberty and potentially their life, if warranted under the law. Thus, the decision to use any technology as an investigative tool is one of those decisions we take to heart and provide a thorough evaluation that it is used responsibly, ethically, and accordance with law. The Culpeper Police Department has been using Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) technology over 20 years. During this time, we have not had any reported and/or founded abuses of these systems. Since July 1, 2025 the General Assembly passed 2.2-5517 of the Virginia State Code where it was signed into law. The link to this code section is https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title2.2/chapter55.6/section2.2-5517/ This law is the 3rd most restrictive law in the United States that governs ALPR use. Some of the provision highlighted in the law are: ALPR systems may be used only for authorized purposes, including: · ALPRs may be used only for legitimate criminal investigations, locating missing or endangered persons, identifying wanted individuals, and locating stolen vehicles or license plates. · ALPR data may not be used to monitor lawful activities or track individuals based on constitutionally protected speech. · License plate data must be permanently deleted after 21 days unless it becomes evidence in an active investigation or court proceeding. · ALPR data cannot be sold or used for commercial purposes. · Data may be shared only for authorized law-enforcement, prosecutorial, court, or public-safety purposes. · Every search must be connected to an authorized purpose and recorded in an audit trail. · Agencies must conduct internal audits at least once every 30 days to identify improper access or use. · An ALPR alert alone is not sufficient to stop a vehicle. An officer must verify the vehicle information or establish independent reasonable suspicion. · Agencies must adopt and publicly post an ALPR policy and annual report regarding their use of the technology. · Intentional misuse of an ALPR system or its data can result in a Class 1 misdemeanor, and improperly obtained evidence may be excluded from court. Additionally, under Virginia law, each vendor must meet strict requirements and be approved by the Virginia Information Technology Agency (VITA) and must be CJIS compliant through the FBI, before any locality can use a particular vendor. The Code of Virginia requires vendors to: · Law-enforcement agencies may use only ALPR systems approved by the Virginia Department of General Services. · The law-enforcement agency, not the vendor, must own and control the ALPR data. · Vendors may not sell ALPR data or share it without the agency’s authorization and a legally permitted purpose. · Vendors may access the data only when requested by the agency for system maintenance or quality assurance. · Vendors must permanently delete ALPR data after 21 days or sooner if requested by the agency, unless it is preserved for an active investigation or legal proceeding. · Vendors must maintain an audit trail and permanently delete audit records after two years, subject to authorized legal retention. · Alert databases must be updated at least every 24 hours, and systems must meet Virginia’s information-security standards. · Vendors must notify the agency of subpoenas, search warrants, or other third-party requests for ALPR data unless legally prohibited from doing so. Furthermore, the Culpeper Police Department conducts an internal audit every 30 days of all searches in our ALPR system to ensure every officer is following the code and only searching for a license plate under the provisions of the law. Also, the vendors incorporated safeguards in the system requiring each officer to have three criteria entered before a search can be completed; a case number, a listed crime, and a reason to search based on that crime after the officer has reasonable suspicion a crime has occurred. These provisions are clearly stated within the operating policies of the Culpeper Department. This policy is publicly provided in our Transparency Portal at https://transparency.flocksafety.com/culpeper-va-pd- Here you can see our current policy and current data of aggregate license plate images taken, the number of “hits” and the number of searches conducted pursuant to a…”
Timothy Chilton
Timothy Chilton
Culpeper County Sheriff
Culpeper town council
Culpeper town council

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Petition created on August 27, 2026