Yet another Virginia locality de-Flocks…
This week, the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office terminated its contract with Flock Safety and stopped using its ALPRs, Sheriff Mark Embrey announced.
NCSO, which reportedly had three Flock cameras running in Nelson, held a town hall on October 8. “I would say 95% of those folks expressed fears about privacy concerns and misuse of the Flock camera system by law enforcement as we’ve seen across the country,” Embrey later told CBS 19 News.
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In a statement explaining the decision, Embrey announced he decided to cut ties with Flock, effective October 13, 2026.
“First, I want to acknowledge that these cameras have been effective for our Office. They have served as a useful tool for our deputies, and I do not want to minimize the positive impact they have had,” the sheriff said.
“However, I fully recognize that just because this technological tool is effective, it does not necessarily mean that this same technology is the correct fit for the community we serve.”
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Embrey described the town hall as “crucial,” but he also took into consideration concerns raised by the public prior to and after that meeting. Among the issues raised were the broader implications of Flock technology in everyday life.
“Our responsibility goes beyond determining whether a particular law enforcement tool is effective. Our duty is to also determine whether this technology reflects the values, expectations, and the trust of our community,” the sheriff noted.
“I was a believer in Flock, at least from the technology standpoint, as a tool,” Embrey told CBS 19. “At the end of the day, it came down to public trust. It came down to the trust of the Nelson County community. And without that, we have nothing.”
Sheriff Embrey has been widely praised for making a decision based on the will of the people.
