Henry County Sheriff Wayne Davis has suspended the sheriff’s office’s use of its Flock camera system, citing concerns about privacy and the potential misuse of the technology.
Davis announced the decision Aug. 14, ending the use of cameras that have been in operation since 2023.
“They’re completely deactivated. No Henry County Deputy can access data from them, nor can any other law enforcement agency access data from them,” he said.
The cameras remain in place while Davis works through the process of removing them. He said he also was awaiting information from Flock about whether the cameras themselves are still recording.
“I do not know if they are still recording or not recording, I cannot accurately answer that. I’m awaiting answers from Flock at this point,” he said.
The system was installed through a grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, which funded the installation and service contract for 10 fixed cameras and four mobile units. The system was provided at no cost to Henry County taxpayers.
The cameras remain in place for now, Davis said, as his office works toward a final resolution.
Davis said he believes Flock cameras are a useful investigative tool and that the installation and recording of license plate information are permissible under case law.
“However, the constitutional violations arise when the misuse occurs. When officers conduct searches for noncriminal justice purposes, for unlawful purposes, those are when the constitutional, and most certainly privacy, concerns arise,” he said.
Davis said these violations have occurred countless times across the United States, however Henry County has not received a complaint or accusation that Flock data has been misused locally.
“We in Henry County have never had a complaint nor an accusation that any data from a Flock camera has been misused here locally, and I want to ensure that it stays that way,” he said.
In an Aug. 14 statement, Davis said, “I am not a big-government Sheriff. I am one of the strongest believers in the Constitution of the United States, and I firmly believe in protecting the constitutional rights and individual liberties of every citizen we serve.
“At the same time, I have sworn an oath to protect our community and have a responsibility to provide our deputies with the tools necessary to investigate crime and keep our citizens safe,” Davis said, and added that his decision to suspend use of the system was based on his responsibility to continually evaluate the tools and technology used by the sheriff’s office.
“I do not believe that we should use technology simply because it is available or because it gives law enforcement additional capabilities. Every tool we use must be evaluated against the principles of accountability, responsible policing, constitutional protections, and the safety of the community we serve,” he said.
Davis said he does not plan to replace Flock with another license plate reader system, such as Axiom or Motorola.
“This license-plate reader technology is not proprietary to Flock, there are numerous other companies that provide the exact same service. Flock is nothing but a brand, and we’re not seeing the other technologies’ names with the same complaints, however the same technology exists,” he said.
Davis said he believes discontinuing Flock is the right decision for Henry County, and noted that it has received widespread community support.
“The reaction from the community and the citizens have been overwhelmingly positive. I’ve also had a number of officers reach out to me and also agree with the privacy concerns associated with them,” he said.
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“My number one priority has always been, and will remain, serving the citizens of Henry County, protecting their constitutional rights, and doing everything within my authority to make this the safest community possible,” Davis said.
