ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – Roanoke Police Chief Scott Booth is emphasizing community trust as the city faces scrutiny over its use of Flock surveillance technology, following the removal of all recently installed gunshot detectors and ongoing concerns about license plate reading cameras.
Roanoke City Council approved the installation of 75 Flock gunshot detectors this year. The devices pick up audio of certain sounds, including gunshots and cries for help, to help officers detect and respond to crimes. Last month, 41 were installed across the city.
Initial reports indicated 16 devices were improperly installed due to a data entry error. Within days, that number grew to 30. The city responded by scrapping the entire program and removing all of the gunshot detectors…