Miller County Sheriff confirms Flock cameras, says inmate commissary sales are paying for them
Sheriff Wayne Easley says Flock Safety license plate reader cameras going up outside Texarkana are funded by jail commissary commissions, not taxpayers.
The Miller County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday confirmed it is installing Flock Safety license plate reader cameras in the county, days after TXKtoday first reported the cameras going up outside Texarkana city limits.
In a press release issued Sept. 30, Sheriff Wayne Easley said the cameras are being paid for with commissions generated from commissary sales at the Miller County Detention Center.
“No additional burden is being placed on our taxpayers to fund this technology,” the release states.
How the cameras are being paid for
Commissary sales are purchases inmates make from the jail store, typically funded by deposits from family members and friends. Jails commonly receive a commission from the vendor that runs the commissary.
The sheriff’s office described the cameras as another tool for deputies and investigators, saying they help locate vehicles connected to criminal investigations ranging from murder and kidnapping to theft and property crimes. The release also said Flock cameras have helped law enforcement elsewhere in cases involving missing and endangered children.
What the sheriff says about privacy
Easley addressed privacy concerns directly, stating the system is designed to read license plates and vehicle characteristics and “is not a system designed to monitor what citizens are doing inside their vehicles.” According to the release, the cameras are placed on approved state right-of-way and have no connection to any nearby business or property.
“Policies are in place to prevent the misuse of this technology,” the release states.
Easley invited any Miller County resident with concerns to speak with him personally.
Where the cameras are going up
TXKtoday reported Friday that two cameras had been spotted, one on Highway 71 near the Rock Store and another in front of 237 Grocery. Before those, the roughly 19 Flock cameras shown on public mapping in the area were all inside Texarkana, Arkansas, Texarkana, Texas or Nash.
Flock cameras photograph every vehicle that passes, logging the plate, make, model and other identifying details. That data is stored and searchable by agencies with access to the network and can be shared with other agencies nationwide.
The press release does not say how many cameras the county plans to install, where they will be located, what the contract costs, how long the data will be kept, or which outside agencies will have access to it. It also does not say whether the county’s usage policy will be made public.