Pueblo community gathers for rally against Automatic License Plate Readers, Flock cameras
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- It's the second day of the "National Week of Action Against ALPRs," and Pueblo community members gathered for a rally outside Pueblo City Hall against Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) cameras.
ALPR cameras are commonly known by one of their brand names, Flock.
The protest was held ahead of a Pueblo City Council work session on Monday, Aug. 17, and over 30 people showed up to speak out against the use of ALPR cameras in the city.
They were holding signs and had a microphone set up for people to speak about their concerns surrounding ALPR cameras. A group called "Pueblo Flock and ALPR Surveillance Fightback" organized the rally.
According to their Facebook page, they describe themselves as a nonpartisan group that wants to get rid of ALPR cameras in Pueblo or create guardrails that ensure they are used properly to protect people.
All of this is happening as the debate surrounding Flock and ALPR cameras heats up nationwide. ALPR cameras are often used by law enforcement to solve crimes by scanning license plates, and many agencies credit them with helping them solve serious crimes faster.
However, critics call these cameras a violation of privacy, citing examples across the country of police misuse and wrongful arrests due to ALPR cameras.
KRDO13 spoke with one of the organizers of the community rally, who said the group wants the Pueblo City Council to hear their side of this issue. The group is also looking for answers on how the camera data is used.
"How are they sharing this data? Who is collecting this data? Who is able to see this data? How long are they able to store it? What does the storage look like? There's a lot of unanswered questions that we're not getting," said Marisa Lopez, one of the organizers.
KRDO13 previously reported on damage to Flock cameras around the Pikes Peak region.
But Lopez said this is not what their group is about. Instead, she said they are using the power of their voices.
“We’re not here to push people to do anything illegal," Lopez said. "We’re doing things in conversation with the city. People are angry, and if that’s what they’re doing, that’s what they’re doing. We can’t really stop that from happening. That’s the police’s job.”
The group's members also plan to attend next week's Pueblo City Council meeting on Aug. 24, which is open for public comment.
The Pueblo Police Department (PPD) told us they were aware of the rally and were prepared to respond if necessary. KRDO13 asked PPD if they were reconsidering their relationship with Flock given the public backlash, to which they declined to comment.
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