Fact Check: The Texas sheriff sent a nationwide request for data from 83,000 cameras operated by the private company Flock Safety.

Fact Check: "The Texas sheriff sent a nationwide request for data from 83,000 cameras operated by the private company Flock Safety."

What We Know

Recent investigations revealed that a Texas sheriff sent a nationwide request for data from over 83,000 cameras operated by the private company Flock Safety. This request was made in the context of searching for a woman who had undergone a self-administered abortion, raising significant legal and ethical concerns regarding the use of license plate reader (LPR) data. The incident came to light when the Illinois Secretary of State's office found that a suburban Chicago police department, Mount Prospect, had shared license plate data with the Johnson County Sheriff's Department in Texas, which was seeking information related to this case (6abc, NBC Chicago).

The data was accessed through Flock Safety's "National Lookup" feature, which allows law enforcement agencies to utilize a national database of license plate data. The Mount Prospect Police Department stated that they were unaware of this data being used for such purposes and emphasized that it violated both their values and Illinois state law (NBC Chicago, 404 Media).

Analysis

The claim that a Texas sheriff sent a nationwide request for data from 83,000 cameras is substantiated by multiple sources. The incident was first reported by 404 Media, which detailed how the Johnson County Sheriff's Office utilized the National Lookup feature to access data from various jurisdictions, including Mount Prospect, Illinois. This feature allowed access to license plate data without a direct data-sharing agreement, which raises questions about the oversight and regulation of such technologies.

The Illinois Secretary of State's office is currently investigating the matter, as the sharing of this data appears to violate a state law designed to protect individuals seeking abortions from surveillance (6abc, NBC Chicago). The law was enacted in response to concerns that states with restrictive abortion laws might misuse surveillance technologies to track individuals crossing state lines for reproductive health services.

The credibility of the sources reporting this incident is strong. Major news outlets such as NBC Chicago and ABC News have covered the story, and the information has been corroborated by official statements from the Mount Prospect Police Department and the Illinois Secretary of State's office. Additionally, the involvement of privacy experts and legal authorities adds weight to the claims being made.

Conclusion

Verdict: True. The claim that the Texas sheriff sent a nationwide request for data from 83,000 cameras operated by Flock Safety is accurate. The evidence from multiple reliable sources confirms that this request was made in connection with an investigation into a woman who had an abortion, highlighting serious implications for privacy and law enforcement practices.

Sources

1. Illinois officials investigate license-plate data shared ... - 6ABC
2. Data shared with Texas officials acquired through national ... - NBC Chicago
3. She Got an Abortion. So A Texas Cop Used ... - EFF
4. Texas police 'abused' license plate data for immigration ... - Statesman
5. Officials investigate license-plate data shared with police for ... - ABC News
6. A Texas Cop Searched License Plate Cameras Nationwide ... - 404 Media
7. Illinois officials investigate data shared with Texas sheriff ... - Dallas News
8. Illinois officials investigate license-plate data shared with ... - WGN TV