Things Learned from EPD Public Records Requests

_{See all our public records requests at https://github.com/eyes-off/eugene-oregon}

Oct 3, 2025

Since June, Eyes Off Eugene has been active in requesting public records from the Eugene Police Department (EPD). We have been working to understand why we are in this situation: mass surveillance secretly installed throughout the city, seemingly without consent of City Council, Police Commission, or the public. We want the rationale for the procurement, installation, and use of Flock surveillance by the EPD. The city has been slow to respond to many of our requests, but over time things have trickled in. Here are some of the important things we have learned.

Stops Initiated or Influenced by Flock

We requested: Stop level records tied to Flock hits.

We received:

“The City does not assign a unique identifier to ALPR related stops and therefore this data is not tracked, retained, or able to be extracted.”

We learned:

The city cannot determine the effectiveness of the Flock system.
The city cannot identify how many false hits they receive.
The city cannot assess the impact of the Flock system on marginalized communities.
There is no way for the public to investigate the impact of this invasive surveillance system.

EPD keeps lauding Flock’s assistance in case solving, but doesn’t actually have data to back that up. And remember, Flock is STILL not preventing crime.

You’re Being Watched. EPD Won’t Say From Where.

We requested: The location of all Flock cameras.

We received:

“The requested records concerning camera locations are exempt from disclosure pursuant to ORS 192.345(23) (Security Measures)”

We learned:

The EPD are hiding camera locations behind a “security exemption”.
Many other communities, from Springfield, OR to Lexington, KY have readily released their camera locations.

Secrecy is not security! We are pushing back against these denials for a full release of this vital information.

Permits Obtained by Flock

We requested: All permits submitted related to the installation of Flock cameras.

We received:

“The City is not the custodian of the requested records. Any permits or installation records would be held by Flock Safety.”

We learned:

Flock Safety did not obtain any permits from the City of Eugene for camera installation.
How does the city even control what gets affixed to public infrastructure?

Flock Procurement Rationale

We requested: Documents explaining the rationale for procurement.

We received:

“The agency seeks a solution that minimizes data ownership and storage responsibilities, with the vendor responsible for maintaining the integrity and security of the information. It is preferred that the vendor owns and manages the data, with clearly defined data access protocols for the agency.”

We learned:

The City specifically looked for solutions where they did not own any of their own data.
The City wanted minimal control or overhead for any system Flock implemented.

Flock Camera Placement Methodologies

We requested: Any assessments, analysis, or methodology for Flock Camera Placement.

We received:

“The requested information was not retained by the City”

We learned:

The city cannot justify how Flock camera site locations were chosen.
No formal analysis of impact, scoring rubrics, or methodologies were used in selecting locations.
It is very likely that Flock is selecting the location of cameras.

EPD Flock Training

We requested: All training material and legal guidance on the use of Flock.

We received: A powerpoint used for police training.

We learned:

EPD has no ways to audit or monitor Flock error‑rates.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) intends to install 15 cameras. We’ve submitted new public records requests with the county to find out more.
EPD is using license plate readers to track people on bicycles.
- And demonstrating this in their training materials as official procedure.
EPD has had access to Flock data from private businesses.

Conclusion

The evidence gathered demonstrates a significant failure of transparency and accountability. From initiation to installation to continued use, the nature of Flock in Eugene has been secrecy. The City of Eugene has implemented an invasive surveillance system without the ability to measure its effectiveness, its potential for error, or its impact on the community. By actively avoiding data ownership, allowing a private company to install cameras without public permits, and hiding camera locations from the very residents it serves, the city has prioritized secrecy over public trust.

We must not allow this secret surveillance network to become a permanent fixture in Eugene and Springfield. Flock needs to be removed from our community!