Tony Stephens wants Buckeye police to temporarily turn off the city’s Flock cameras while an independent company examines how officers use the system. Stephens started the Change.org petition Aug. 29.
Charles Carpenter later shared it on Nextdoor, where it drew immediate disagreement.
Mike Hammond of Litchfield Park accused supporters of jumping on the bandwagon without understanding the technology. “Maybe talking with a representative of BPD before making a rash decision, and an erroneous statement could be considered,” Hammond replied. “I know they would be happy to explain their viewpoint.”
The petition does not accuse a Buckeye officer of misusing the system. Instead, Stephens points to recent investigations involving officers in other Arizona departments.
Chandler ended its Flock contract after an audit raised concerns about possible employee misuse. Surprise suspended access to its system, and Goodyear requested an outside investigation into one of its officers.
Those cases prompted Stephens to question whether Buckeye’s internal safeguards provide enough protection. “I’ve lived in Buckeye, Arizona, for years, and I’ve always hoped for a community that values both safety and privacy,” he wrote. Stephens acknowledges that the cameras can help police prevent and solve crimes. Still, he believes the potential for misuse calls for additional oversight.
His petition asks Buckeye police to suspend the program until an independent third party completes a comprehensive audit. He also wants the department to publish weekly or monthly search logs.
Those logs would identify the officers conducting searches, the dates, and a general description of each search. License plate numbers and other sensitive information would remain private.
Buckeye police addressed many of the concerns in an Aug. 26 public statement. The department said it has used automated license plate readers since 2022. It conducts monthly audits and requires trained employees to enter case and personnel information before searching the system. Camera results only provide investigative leads, according to police. Officers must verify the information before taking action. The cameras photograph the backs of passing vehicles and collect license plate numbers, vehicle descriptions, locations, and timestamps. They can also record identifying details such as stickers or vehicle damage.
Police said the cameras do not use facial recognition, record continuous video, or enforce speeding and red-light laws.
Buckeye openly shares its camera data only with Arizona law-enforcement agencies. Agencies outside the state must request permission. Immigration authorities and other federal agencies do not have open access, according to the department. BPD credits the system with helping officers find missing people, wanted suspects, and stolen vehicles. Investigators also used it to identify and arrest an armed road-rage suspect in March.
Stephens argues that those results do not eliminate the need for an independent review. Hammond believes supporters should hear directly from BPD before calling for a suspension.
The disagreement leaves Buckeye residents with a central question: Are the department’s current safeguards enough, or does the system need independent oversight?
One Response
Another concern I did not list as I am Mr. Stephens. So the info is shared opening with other departments in the state. How do we know say for example a Chandler officer isn’t missing his or her Chandler police login to stalk a ex in Buckeye?
Oversight should be in place and also other departments should have to leave a report number or something when viewing Buckeye Police Flock data.
It’s helped solve who stole from me so I have seen flock work. So while happy about that I also have concerns.