WOODBURN, Ore. (KATU) — The city of Woodburn has temporarily suspended its use of the Flock Safety Camera System for at least 60 days following heated public debate over potential links to federal immigration enforcement.
Community Voices Raise Alarms
The decision came after a tense Woodburn City Council meeting, where several residents spoke out against the camera system. Many expressed fears that the cameras could aid U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in identifying and detaining undocumented residents.
“Flock security cameras that are present in Woodburn contribute to the terrorizing of our community,” one resident said during public testimony. “We demand the end of the Flock program in the city of Woodburn. The Flock company is a multi-billion-dollar corporation that has proven to be dishonest and harmful.”
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These community concerns prompted city officials to pause the program while conducting a comprehensive review of the system’s operations and policies.
City Officials Respond to Concerns
In a statement released Tuesday, Woodburn Mayor Frank Lonergan emphasized that the decision was based on listening to residents’ voices.
“The city of Woodburn is committed to keeping our community safe while respecting the concerns of our community members,” Lonergan said. “Based on community input, pausing the Flock camera system is a prudent step.”
During the review period, officials will evaluate how data collected by the cameras is stored, shared, and used — with a particular focus on ensuring that the system does not support immigration enforcement.
Flock Safety Defends Its Technology
Dan Haley, Flock Safety’s Chief Legal Officer, defended the company’s role and policies, telling KATU that data from the cameras is owned and controlled by the city, not by Flock itself.
“Municipalities choose who to share and not share their data with,” Haley explained. “Some share data nationally, while others limit access to their own law enforcement officers. The decision belongs entirely to the local government.”
According to Haley, the Flock Safety Camera System is designed to help law enforcement identify vehicles involved in crimes. The cameras capture license plates, make, model, and color of vehicles, and can be used to track cars linked to criminal investigations.
“When a police officer believes a specific vehicle was involved in a crime, they can query our system to see if that vehicle was near the scene,” Haley said. “Because so many crimes involve vehicles, our technology often helps communities reduce crime rates and improve clearance rates for serious offenses — from kidnappings to drug trafficking.”
Police Credit Cameras with Solving Crimes
The Woodburn Police Department also praised the technology’s effectiveness in a recent press release, noting that in its short time of use, the system had already assisted in solving violent crimes and vehicle theft cases.
“Flock cameras have directly contributed to public safety,” the release stated. “They are a vital tool for identifying suspects and recovering stolen property.”
However, despite these results, the city acknowledged that public trust is critical to continuing such programs. Until residents’ concerns are adequately addressed, the camera system will remain offline.
Debate Over Data Privacy and Federal Oversight
The Flock Safety website clarifies that Woodburn’s policy prohibits using the system for immigration enforcement and ensures that “data is used for law enforcement purposes only. Data is owned by Woodburn Police Department and is never sold to third parties.”
Still, some residents remain unconvinced, pointing to broader issues surrounding data privacy, cybersecurity, and federal cooperation.
Just one week before Woodburn’s decision, Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Illinois) called for a federal investigation into Flock Group Incorporated (FGI). They cited failures to maintain proper cybersecurity protections, which they said left Americans’ personal data vulnerable to hackers, foreign spies, and other malicious actors.
Federal Lawmakers Demand Accountability
In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Wyden and Krishnamoorthi wrote that Flock failed to enforce basic security practices like multi-factor authentication (MFA) — a standard industry safeguard that prevents unauthorized access to sensitive data.
They revealed that passwords for at least 35 Flock customer accounts had been compromised, allegedly exposing data collected by the company’s surveillance cameras.
“By not requiring MFA, Flock has needlessly exposed Americans’ personal data to theft by hackers and foreign spies,” the lawmakers wrote. “Abuse of Flock cameras is inevitable, and Flock has made it clear it takes no responsibility to prevent or detect that.”
In a previous letter, Wyden urged all Oregon communities using Flock systems to end their partnerships with the company altogether, citing “a see-no-evil approach” to privacy and accountability.
Flock Pushes Back Against Accusations
Flock’s Chief Legal Officer, Dan Haley, strongly rejected Wyden’s claims. He said the alleged security lapses were isolated incidents involving client-side breaches, not the company’s internal systems.
“The compromise of user credentials mentioned by Senator Wyden involved clients, not Flock,” Haley said. “Those issues have already been remedied.”
Haley also clarified that Flock’s system supports multi-factor authentication but leaves it up to each municipality to activate the feature.
“There are a small number of clients, mostly in rural jurisdictions, who have chosen not to enable MFA,” he added. “We encourage them to use it, but they control their own systems.”
In a letter responding to Wyden’s office, Haley emphasized that Flock remains committed to improving transparency and civil liberties protections.
“We constantly work to strengthen our products, compliance, and accountability features,” he wrote. “Feedback from lawmakers and the public helps us refine those efforts.”
A Temporary Pause, Not a Permanent End
While Woodburn’s decision to suspend the Flock camera system is temporary, it highlights a growing national debate over the balance between public safety and personal privacy.
The 60-day review period will allow city officials, residents, and law enforcement to re-examine how the system is used — and whether its benefits outweigh its potential risks.
Flock Safety, meanwhile, maintains that when properly implemented, its cameras can help communities solve crimes without infringing on civil rights. But for now, Woodburn’s residents and leaders seem united in taking a cautious approach.
As Mayor Lonergan noted, the pause is meant to ensure that security measures align with community values. Whether the cameras return — and under what conditions — will depend on the results of the city’s ongoing investigation and continued public input.
