Tracy Police Department officials are hosting a series of public workshops to inform residents about the department's use of its Flock automated license plate reader (ALPR) camera system across the city.
The first of four such workshops was held Wednesday at the Kimball High cafeteria. During the 1½-hour session, police representatives provided detailed presentations on how the Flock cameras are deployed and utilized, the protocols for managing the information they gather, and how these cameras contribute to law enforcement and public safety efforts.
Capt. Luis Mejia opened the presentation by explaining that the typical use of Flock cameras involves identifying vehicles pertinent to criminal investigations. Capt. Mejia described the system as an "electronic neighborhood watch," designed to alert officers when a stolen vehicle or a vehicle associated with a wanted person or known suspect enters city limits. He added that the system furnishes officers with the necessary location and details to intercept potential threats before further harm occurs.
Reserve Officer Alex Neicu, who works with the Tracy Police Department’s Real Time Information Center, further elaborated on how information from Flock cameras can expedite investigations and provide additional data. He underscored the strict control maintained over the information collected by the cameras, stating that access is highly restricted. According to Officer Neicu, only individuals with a legitimate "right to know and the need to know" are granted access. He also clarified that the cameras are exclusively placed in public spaces, where they capture snapshots of license plates without recording who is inside the vehicles. Unless the information is actively used in an investigation, it is automatically deleted after 30 days; however, if it becomes evidence, it can be retained as the case requires.
Christian Silva, also from the department’s Real Time Information Center, detailed the investigative process involving Flock cameras when a vehicle of interest is identified. He emphasized that officers are never dispatched to an unconfirmed hit and will not stop a vehicle unless they are 100% certain it is the correct vehicle being sought. Silva reiterated that the Flock system records nothing beyond a license plate number and an image of the vehicle.
Lt. Dan Garcia addressed the topic of inter-agency cooperation, stating that Tracy Police collaborates with other agencies based on active investigations requiring vehicle identification. However, he stressed that state law prohibits sharing information from Flock cameras with private security firms or federal immigration authorities. Lt. Garcia confirmed that the department establishes formal agency agreements with each entity with which information is shared, ensuring transparency about who receives the data and that there is no commercial or sales access.
A second workshop took place Thursday night at Williams Middle School. Two additional workshops are scheduled for the community: one on November 9 at Hirsch School, located at 1280 Dove Drive, and another on November 12 at North School, located at 2875 Holly Drive. Both upcoming workshops are slated to run from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
