DAYTON — The city of Dayton, Ohio covered its Flock automated license plate reader cameras with black trash bags as a temporary measure while officials determine whether the devices can be removed permanently. Dayton police are unsure whether the cameras remain active beneath the coverings.

Deputy City Manager Joe Parlette said at a city commission meeting that the Dayton Police Department agreed to work with Public Works to place the bags over the cameras as a stop-gap solution. The city does not know whether its contract with Flock Safety permits it to remove the cameras outright.

Resident outrage over the surveillance technology had built for months before the city took action to obscure the devices. The backlash followed a scandal in which Flock camera data from Dayton was shared with federal immigration authorities, apparently by accident. Data from Flock’s national camera network has also made its way to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to verified reports.

In response to public concern, Dayton commissioned a $30,000 audit to examine how the Flock cameras are being used. The move reflects broader uncertainty among municipalities about their control over the technology. Cities that have reconsidered their Flock contracts typically do so through months of city council meetings and public debate, and many feel they lack the authority to unilaterally discontinue use of the surveillance system. The American Civil Liberties Union has criticized Flock, claiming it is building infrastructure for a 'mass surveillance state.'

Despite the controversy, Dayton’s current approach leaves open the question of whether the cameras are still collecting data while covered.