The Dumfries Town Council unanimously approved a new policy governing the use of automated license plate reader (LPR) technology by the Dumfries Police Department during its June 16, 2026, meeting.
The policy establishes guidelines for the operation, access, retention, sharing, and auditing of data from eight Flock Safety LPR cameras. Flock Safety is an Atlanta-based company whose LPR systems are among the most widely used in Virginia.
All eight cameras will be installed on private property with the owners’ permission, who retain control and may request their removal at any time. Placement is strategically focused on town entrances and exits to maximize coverage of vehicles entering and leaving Dumfries.
Key Provisions
- Data retention: 21 days, consistent with Virginia standards, after which data is automatically purged.
- Authorized uses: Strictly limited to criminal investigations with reasonable articulable suspicion, missing or endangered persons, human trafficking cases, stolen vehicles or plates, and related alerts. The policy explicitly prohibits monitoring constitutionally protected activities.
- Access controls: Requires a case or incident number for any query. The LPR Program Administrator (a Captain) will conduct monthly audits of user activity.
- Verification: Officers must independently verify Flock alerts before taking enforcement action, such as traffic stops.
- Data sharing: Restricted; information may be shared within Virginia or with federal agencies only via subpoena or search warrant. Data is not sold or commercially disseminated.
- Contract and costs: The town owns the cameras under a yearly renewable contract with no escalation clauses. Grants totaling $43,000 ($10,000 from Virginia State Police auto theft funds and $33,000 from the J.R. Byrne grant) reduce the town’s initial out-of-pocket cost to approximately $1,700. Without grants, the annual cost would be roughly $36,000–$37,000.
Council separately approved quarterly reporting by the town manager on program outcomes, audits, and any incidents of misuse. Dumfries Police Chief presented the policy, emphasizing public safety benefits (including investigations of stolen vehicles, missing persons, and major crimes), privacy safeguards, and compatibility with systems used by Prince William County and other Virginia jurisdictions.
Flock Safety technology is prevalent across Virginia, with most law enforcement agencies in the state using the company’s LPR systems. Dumfries’ small-scale deployment of eight cameras on private property with strict local safeguards fits within the broader trend of measured adoption of the technology in the commonwealth.
The approval came after moving the item from the consent agenda to action for discussion. A future presentation by Flock Safety representatives is planned to further educate the council and public on the system.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Potomac Local News editors for accuracy and clarity.
