News

Sheriff defends use of Flock cameras, cites safeguards

Sheriff Lowell Griffin speaks at a county commission meeting in May of this year. [LIGHTNING FILE PHOTO]

By Bill Moss, Published: August 18, 2026

Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin has issued a strong defense of his department’s use of Flock cameras, saying that they help investigators make arrests in serious crimes and that his office's internal affairs policies safeguard against abuse.

Griffin responded to the Lightning’s request on Friday to explain how the cameras are used. Earlier this month an Edneyville berry farmer asked county commissioners to defund the surveillance cameras and an online anti-Flock petition since then has drawn hundreds of signatures. \Here is Griffin’s response:

I understand the public’s concern and fear of government surveillance surrounding the use of the Flock system.  I would like to take a few minutes to address some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding the Flock Safety Camera system and explain how the system works.

Flock is an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system. ALPR technology has been used by law enforcement for many years, long before Flock entered the market. These systems have been deployed on patrol vehicles and through other enforcement strategies for decades.

The Flock cameras currently deployed throughout our county capture a single point-in-time image of the exterior of a vehicle. They are positioned to photograph the license plate and the rear of the vehicle. From that image, metadata is generated, including the license plate number, issuing state, vehicle type, color and other basic vehicle characteristics.

There are several things the system does not do, despite claims that have circulated on social media. The Flock cameras deployed in our county do not provide live video surveillance, do not perform facial recognition, and do not track individuals from one camera location to another.

Another important fact that many people are unaware of is that Flock data is automatically deleted after 30 days. The sheriff's office owns its data and controls who it is shared with. Flock cannot share our agency's data without our authorization or unless required by a lawful court order, such as a search warrant or subpoena. Flock also does not monetize or sell our data.

Currently, we only share data with approved law enforcement agencies that participate in reciprocal information sharing. This collaboration helps agencies solve crimes while maintaining appropriate controls over access.

Protecting privacy and civil liberties is a critical part of how this system operates. The cameras capture only information that is already visible in plain view. They do not collect names, biometric information, race, gender, or other personally identifiable characteristics. Every search conducted in the system requires documented law enforcement justification, and those searches are permanently logged to record who conducted the search, when it occurred and the reason for it. Those audit logs are reviewed in accordance with agency policy. Access is also subject to hard-coded restrictions on certain federal and out-of-state use where required, and the system is designed to prevent unauthorized camera-to-camera or cloud-based access.

There have also been rumors regarding signal tracing, Palantir integration, and Flock having unrestricted access to our data. These claims are simply not accurate with respect to the cameras and system we have deployed. Additionally, Flock is compliant with Criminal Justice Information Services security requirements.

Flock is not connected to DMV records and does not build a database of people. It only records vehicle attributes that are already visible to anyone in a public place. Furthermore, Flock does not contract with ICE — Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

As with any law enforcement information system, the possibility of misuse is something we take seriously. Our deputies are held to a high professional standard. If any misuse of the system is identified, it will be investigated as a policy violation, and appropriate action will be taken at the direction of the Sheriff.

Every Flock search initiated by the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office requires the entry of a case number linking the search to a criminal case. In addition, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Professional Responsibility Division audits the searches to ensure the system is only accessed and utilized for investigations into criminal activity.     

Our agency has maintained an ALPR policy for years, and the use of Flock is specifically addressed within that policy. We are committed to ensuring technology is used responsibly, lawfully, and in a manner that protects both public safety and individual privacy.

Our goal is simple: to provide our deputies with another investigative tool that helps identify suspects, locate stolen vehicles, find missing people, and solve crimes while operating within established legal, ethical, and policy guidelines. We remain committed to transparency, accountability, and earning the trust of the community we serve.

Griffin provided an account of how Flock cameras had helped investigators make arrests, apprehend fugitives and find missing people.

The sheriff’s office uses 13 Flock cameras. Griffin said Flock cameras had assisted in making murder arrests in the baby Luna child-abuse death in May, the Dana Park shooting in April and a July  2023 murder and in the apprehension of a murder suspect from Kershaw County, S.C. Law officers have used Flock information to find and safely return eight missing persons, arrest a shooter for firing into an occupied vehicle, catch a suspect in a sexual assault case and recover more than $200,000 in stolen property, Griffin said.